


Eye of the Storm

by Ocaj



Series: Heart of a Dragon series [2]
Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:29:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 101,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23034775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ocaj/pseuds/Ocaj
Summary: After prince Callum kept his promise to rid Katolis of every trace of dark magic, and after a little adventure mission in Duren, Callum is finally allowed to study magic in Xadia. But Callum quickly discovers this dream is not all it seems to be. Meanwhile, Rayla tries to get the dragonguard back in order, but is eventually forced to choose between loyalty and love...
Relationships: Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Series: Heart of a Dragon series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1624210
Comments: 88
Kudos: 106





	1. A word from the author

**Dear readers,**

**So here is the sequel to ‘Heart of a Dragon’. This is my take on what season five of The Dragon Prince could look like. Technically this would be a misnomer. The information we already have is that season 4 and 5 aren’t going to be called ‘the dragon prince’ and that does make me wonder if they will feature the same protagonists at all! I certainly hope so. I hope that the season will be released at the end of 2020, but we’ll just have to wait and see.**

**At the time that I started the entire project, I had hoped that I would be able to finish my versions of season 4 - 7 before the next official releases of story material would happen. But as it turns out, I’m already behind. A few new items are going to be released this year, including a graphic novel that will work as an inbetween for season 3 and 4. This novel will talk about Rayla dealing with the fact that she killed someone, but, as they never found a body, she goes to the moonnexus to make sure.**

**I will probably buy this book, but I think it’s important to note that my fanfictions will diverge from all cannon works post season 3. The reason this is important to mention this is because the same topic will come up in this work of fanfiction. I already wrote down notes for this in December. However, I will probably handle things differently from the original, so, yeah, there you go.**

**While I was writing ‘Heart of a Dragon’, there were a couple of major obstacles I had to overcome. Time is always a problem when you’re busy, but to my surprise I found that as the chapters progressed, the chapters would grow longer as more and more story elements would be added. I actually had to scrap several story elements or risk the project derailing completely. Yes, I could just forgo the nine chapter limit and write all parts of the story, but the point of the project for me is that there is a set deadline and a framework for me to work in. Otherwise, this risks becoming a story without an end, which has been a problem for my original works in the past. To that end I will again stick to a limit of nine chapters, though I do expect the word count to be between 60.000 and 120.000 at the end of it.**

**So, my guidelines for this project as follows:**

  * **I will post one chapter each week**
  * **I will post a total of ten chapters, including ‘a word from the author’**
  * **I will give myself ten weeks to finish this project**



**So, without further ado, I present to you the ‘Eye of the Storm’. Enjoy!**

**Jaco “Ocaj” Koster**


	2. Words and Intent

It was early morning as the caravan was put into order outside the gates of Calatheas, the capital of Duren. Thousands of people had gathered to watch the elven delegation leave, escorted by a platoon of Xadian soldiers and led by the dragon king himself. Rayla and Callum had just finished loading their bags on one of the beasts of burden. The elves employed saraphs for their travels. Callum marveled at the new wonder from Xadia. It was a large creature, its body rather muscular. It walked on four legs and was about 10 feet tall. Its head resembled that of a duck, including a dickbill as mouth, but instead of feathers, its entire body was covered by some kind of rough, lizard-like skin. Two horns protruded from the back of it’s head, sloping backwards, but instead of ending in points they looked like they were hollow. Callum was just about to wonder about what the horns were used for when a loud noise droned from them. 

“Whoops! Looks like the beasts are gettin’ impatient!” Rayla said cheerfully. She looked at her boyfriend. He looked rather grumpy. They had stayed at the party afterwards and went to bed far too late for both of their liking. Neither was used to this, but Rayla could push herself to ignore the groggy feeling in her body. Callum looked like things were more difficult for him. 

He groaned as he hoisted another large satchel upwards. An elf atop the saraph grabbed the satchel.

“How many more of these do you have?” 

Rayla shrugged. “I think two more.” She gestured to one servant of the palace who was carrying some bags for her. “I gotta say, those people at the ball sure were generous!” She opened one of the bags and eyed the various jewelry and coins that it contained, all presents for her birthday from the various nobles present at the party. 

Callum laughed. “I told you, it’s all politics!” But Rayla just stuck her tongue out, refusing to let that dampen her mood. Callum was amused by the childish gesture. “What are you going to do with all that?” 

“I dunno. It’s not like your coins are worth that much in Xadia. And I’m not a big fan of jewelry.” She put her hand to her chin and thought for a moment. “I’ll probably store it, save it for a rainy day. Who knows, perhaps I can use it to host a big party in Katolis!” 

Callum hugged her and pecked her on the cheek. “That’d be nice.” She smiled warmly at him. 

Some distance away, king Aureum Umbra, king Ezran and queen Aanya were speaking about matters of state. Several guards were in place to keep anyone from eavesdropping, though the dragon king had to try his best to keep his voice down.

“We will send word once a proper teacher for prince Callum has been selected, so that you may know who teaches him and where.” the dragon king said.

King Ezran nodded. “And Callum is free to contact us if he needs to?”

The dragon seemed hesitant. “That could interfere with the protocol of his studies…” 

Queen Aanya stepped forward. “I’m sure that prince Callum will be very responsible about his studies. But his duty to Katolis must come first.” 

Ezran nodded, glad for the support of his Duren counterpart. The dragon king grunted. “Very well. I’ll make sure that he will have the means to communicate with you at all times.”

Both the human king and queen smiled. _This was going better than expected! Ezran thought._

-/-/-/-

The sun was setting as the caravan traversed a small valley. It had been a long day. Callum hadn’t been in this part of Xadia before. When he, Rayla and Zym traveled through Xadia, they entered from Katolis to the far south. He marveled at the steep mountains he saw here all around him, running with creaks and streams down the sides, like thin lines of silver. 

“Admiring the beinns, Callum?” Rayla said from behind him. They had opted to both ride atop one of the beasts of burden, though there wasn’t a lot of room among the baggage. 

“Sorry, what?”

“Beinns, mountains!” Rayla exclaimed as she pointed to the peaks on either side. 

Callum smiled sheepishly. “Yeah… guess I am.”

Rayla stretched her arms and sniffed. “Ah, it’s good to be back in Xadia again.” 

Callum scoffed. “You haven’t been gone _that_ long.” 

“I know, but still. I’m not a city girl Callum.” She settled her hands on his shoulders. She felt him instantly relaxing and leaning into her. She smiled broadly, happy to have this effect on him. “When you’re done with your studies, maybe we can go live in a quiet village somewhere? Or build our own cabin in a secret grove?” 

Callum snickered. “That’s a nice thought. I don’t think we’ll be that lucky though. As prince, I’ll probably end up back in the castle.” He looked back over his shoulder, staring at her lovingly. “With you as my princess.” 

She beamed a smile at him, but as he turned back, her face contorted with worry. _Me, in a castle? For the rest of my life?_ She didn’t like the thought of that. She didn’t like it at all.

The call was given to make camp. The delegation had provided them with a tent, but they had to set it up themselves, as they had no servants and weren’t part of the platoon that escorted them. The dragon king would stay the night with them, before flying off on his own, now being much safer back in Xadian territory. 

Callum and Rayla set up their tent at the edge of the camp, preferring their peace and quiet. The both of them were pretty excited over the fact that they would get to spend the next few days together. “Possibly even longer.” Rayla had whispered to him. “Who knows how long it will take the king to find a teacher for you?” 

Callum hoped that the king would find one soon but, as he looked back at his stunning elf, _not too soon._

Darkness had fallen as the last few people had finished setting up their tents. The cooks were already done with the food, having wasted no time while all the others were busy, and soon lines were forming in front of big cooking pots for everyone to grab some dinner. Callum and Rayla happily chatted about their travels and everyday things as they waited, oblivious to the stares they had been getting. During the day, they had only given each other attention. However, once they set down with a group of elves by the fire, Callum started to notice he was getting some unwelcoming looks from the other elves of the delegation. 

He looked at his food, trying to ignore the hard stares he was getting from a couple of sunfire elves. Several mushrooms drifted aimlessly in his bowl as he stirred it’s contents. 

“So, how’s it going?” He ventured carefully, looking at the sunfire elf.

The elf was male, its head adorned with golden jewelry. He sneered as Callum addressed him. “Don’t speak to me human. I’ve got nothing to say to you.” 

Callum was confused. “Huh? What did I do?” 

“Typical of humans to forget their actions so quickly.” A few sunfire elves mumbled their agreement. 

Callum looked at Rayla for help, but she just shook her head at him warningly and continued eating. Callum tried to do the same, until another elf from across the fire addressed him.

“Is it true that humans only eat meat?” Callum couldn’t quite make out the features of this elf from across the fire, but it appeared to be another sunfire elf. 

“Eh… I don’t think so? I mean, we have vegetables, just like you…” 

“Just like us? You aren’t anything like us you little twirp!” The elf stood up and tossed it’s bowl down with such a force that it shattered.

“Kedish! Mind your manners!” An older female elf said. The bowl-tosser grumbled and sat back down. 

Callum thought he should thank the woman, but before he could do that, he already heard her say; “It’s just a human. They’re not as intelligent as us. They are not worth our anger.” 

Callum has had enough. Rayla reached out to grab his arm, but he shrugged it off as he stood up. “Alright, that’s enough. I’m sure there are some pretty bad humans out there, but I’m not one of them!” 

“Oh, it speaks…” The older female elf said. “If only it would speak the truth.”

Callum gritted his teeth. “I haven’t done anything to you! Except, you know, try to save the dragon prince! Was that all for nothing!?” 

The elf now stared hard at Callum. He saw wrinkles on her stern face. He figured she was an older elf, and bitter by the looks of it. “One good deed among the many vile acts your kind has done. Just one drop in the ocean. Give us back Lux Aurea. Give us back our fallen. Maybe then we will talk.” She returned to her food, mumbling; “Though I doubt it.” 

A deep voice could suddenly be heard from the shadows. “My, my, isn’t everyone just getting along swimmingly?” The dark cloaked figure of Zeron stepped into the light of the bonfire. Rayla hissed as she spotted him. The elves seemed bemused by his presence.

“Really lord Zeron, do you have to don the face of a human? It’s so repulsive...” The female elf said with a sneer. 

Zeron didn’t reply, but walked around the bonfire calmly before standing before the woman. “It seems to me that the hospitality of House Xi’tash has lessened of late.”

“Don’t you speak of hospit-” She was startled mid sentence as Zeron knelt before her, his eyes now bright pupilless pools of aqua blue. 

“Tell me, is your family home still safe in the bastion of the Luvenalis? Is your wealth still protected within the marble halls beneath your keep? Are you sure it will remain untouched?”

The elf paled visibly in the firelight. “You wouldn’t… threaten… you dare….” She stuttered. 

“Oh, but I would. For I just saw multiple members of the house of Xi’tash insult the prince of Katolis, a proven friend of Xadia, a hero who has rescued prince Azymondias, and a guest of the royal house of Storm. You are disrespecting the hospitality shown by king Aureum Umbra, sowing hate in our midst and inviting war to Xadia by your actions.” His face now got dangerously close to the elf, who was now shuddering with fear. 

“So I would need a very good reason to stay my hand.”

The tension was palpable. Everyone around the bonfire was silent. The elf looked at Zeron, fear written on her face. She quickly looked about, but saw that all the other elves had distanced themselves from her, except for the young elf who had tossed his bowl. 

“P-please lord Zeron. Have mercy…” When all the response she got was the narrowing of his eyes, she bowed down and pressed her head against the grass. “We apologize. We spoke in anger. Please, forgive us.”

Zeron stood up. “No, I don’t think I will. It wasn’t me who you wronged, but the prince of Katolis and the king of Xadia. But you will apologize to them, and you and yours will show exemplary behaviour towards our guest.” He turned and addressed the rest of the elven nobles with a raised voice. “And I expect that from all of you!” 

After an awkward pause, followed by mumbleds and assurances that they would. Callum felt extremely uneasy. He knew that emotions were running high and that he was the cause. Rayla on the other hand was confused. _Why would Zeron choose our side?_ Then she reminded herself that though Zeron had tortured her, he hadn’t done anything of the like to Callum. _Perhaps he just wants to protect him...._ she thought, but her suspicion of him remained. 

Both the elves who had offended Callum approached and knelt before him. 

“Uh, no please, you don’t have to-” Callum started, but the pair bowed their heads to the ground. 

“Prince Callum of Katolis, we have disrespected the hospitality you were granted and have insulted you. We beg your forgiveness.”

Callum didn’t know what to do. He looked at Rayla, but she simply shrugged. “Well, there’s really no need to-” He was distracted by an annoyed sigh from his left. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked in the now normal eyes of Zeron. 

“Prince Callum, a quick word if you please.” Zeron turned a warning look to the pair on the ground that said; _Don’t get up._

Callum, now thoroughly confused, followed Zeron out of the crowd. Rayla got up and followed as well. If Zeron seemed disturbed by her intrusion, he didn’t show it. 

“I suppose you were just going to let this slide?” Zeron said, gesturing back to the bonfire, where the nobles were now quietly talking amongst themselves.

“Yes, of course! I don’t want people kneeling for me. Even in Katolis, we usually don’t do that.”

Zeron seemed pensive for a moment. “Prince Callum, it seems to me you need a lesson in statecraft.” He gestured at Callum’s person, and his voice was more patient now, like that of a teacher. “You represent Katolis. Those nobles represent Xadia. They have insulted you, and thus, they have insulted Katolis.”

Callum shrugged and looked away. “I don’t think I see it that way. I mean, I figure they were just being mean to another human. I didn’t like it, but why is it such a big deal?” 

“I know that's how you see it, but remember that the world doesn’t. What do you think that the people of Katolis will think when they hear that elves got to insult the prince and got away with it?” Zeron looked at Callum, not unkind, but demanding his attention, demanding that he figure this out.

Callum, to his credit, gave this serious thought. “I suppose… I mean, they won’t be happy with it. But will they not just think badly of me? Why would this be bad for the entire country?”

“Because you are royalty. You represent Katolis Callum, and I really think you are forgetting that right now. Remember how the entire city goes out of its way to host a festival for your birthday? Do you think they would do that if they thought of you as just another person?”

“...no. No I suppose not.” Callum admitted at length. 

Zeron smiled. “Good, then let us continue. Since they have insulted you, they must be punished. Now I have intimidated them into accepting....’ Zeron paused for a bit, trying to come up with the right word. ‘Your authority in punishment or forgiveness, whatever you choose. And that choice is yours. But you must not make it lightly. What do you think would happen if you had just let them walk away, like you were about to?”

Callum sighed. “They would think they could bully me more often?”

Zeron nodded. “And what would that do to the relations between Xadia and Katolis?”

“It would be bad.”

“Because?” Zeron pressed, not one for accepting short answers.

“Because then they would continue to not only bully me, but all the other humans. And humans would in turn think that everyone in Xadia would see them as weaklings, pushovers.”

“Which would give rise to a whole host of problems.” Zeron finished for him. “That is why you have to be firm. Be merciful if you have to, but be firm in your stance.” 

Callum nodded. Zeron gestured with his arm to the pair of nobles, still sitting on the ground, and Callum walked towards them. Rayla started to go after him, but was held back by Zeron who laid a hand on her shoulder. “Let him fight this battle on his own.”

Rayla shrugged it off briskly. “Touch me again and you might lose a finger.” 

Zeron laughed. “I’d like to see you try.” 

They both watched as Callum talked to the two nobles. He was standing, and they remained in a kneeled position. Callum was clearly doing the talking now. Zeron gave Rayla a sidelong glance as he addressed her. “Still mad at me?”

“I will always be mad at you.” Rayla turned to walk away, but then heard the reply.

“Good.”

She turned back. Zeron was still watching Callum, who was now helping the elves to their feet. Both elves looked like they had trouble containing their emotions. Rayla hoped it was regret, but figured it was probably anger for being put in that position. 

“Why are you helping him?” Rayla asked. 

“Because I want to?” Zeron looked at her and raised an eyebrow. 

Rayla walked back to him and stood in front of him, blocking his view of Callum. “Right. And what do you get out of it?” 

Zeron seemed to think of an answer. “Nothing I can think off, at the moment,” he said eventually.

Rayla gave him a skeptical look. “Right.”

Zeron shrugged. “He was kind to me when I was investigating him. I see no reason why I shouldn’t return the favour.”

Rayla stepped even closer, even if her instincts remember the previous encounter and tried to tell her otherwise. She pressed her finger in his chest. He didn’t budge. “Well, I’m keeping my eye on you! If you lay a finger on him…” 

“Lay a finger on who?” 

Rayla jumped, knocking into Zeron as she was startled by Callum who had appeared behind her. 

“Rayla, watch it! It’s just me!” Callum said, quickly taking hold of her shoulders to calm her down. Rayla gave the both of them a frustrated look. Callum looked at her curiously, while Zeron raised his eyebrows. 

“Ugh, lets just find someplace to eat!” She said, looking around for her bowl. It then occurred to her that she had left her dinner near the bonfire. She groaned, really not wanting to mingle with that lot anymore. 

“Why don’t you join me with the servants tent? There’s still plenty of food left, and the company is certainly better than what you’ve experienced.” 

Rayla didn’t reply, but returned a glare. Zeron shrugged. “Your choice,” he said as he turned and made his way through the camp.

“Well, shall we follow him?” Callum said, not picking up on Rayla’s frustration with the figure. As he saw her face however, it dawned to him that he and her both had very different experiences with the character. “Or… maybe not?” 

Rayla bumped into him and buried her face in his neck. Callum was surprised and alarmed by her reaction. “Wha-!?” 

“Hug me, stupid.”

“But…. em, okay.” Gingerly, he put his arms around her. He even gently stroked her back. Rayla sighed, feeling her frustration slowly seeping away. She enjoyed his touch in silence for another moment or to before she finally spoke. 

“You like him, don’t you?” Her voice was muffled, her head was still buried in his neck.

“Well… I mean, as a friend yeah. Though I am mad about what he did to you.” He emphasized the last part. 

Rayla stepped back but didn’t let go of him. She looked him in the eyes. Callum saw that she was worried. “But do you trust him?”

“...I’m not sure Rayla. I know this sounds stupid, but so far he hasn’t exactly lied to us.”

The answer didn’t please her, even if she could understand where she was coming from. She figured that Callum didn’t have many friends, and he still felt something akin to friendship for the man… _or dragon._ She sighed. “Come on. Let’s get some food then.” Rayla grabbed Callum’s hand and together they walked in the direction where Zeron had disappeared to. Callum gave her a smile and a gentle squeeze. “Don’t worry. I will put you first.” He pecked her on the cheek. “Always,” he added, whispering in her ear. Rayla didn’t reply, but a smile appeared on her face. 

They didn’t see exactly where Zeron had gone, but they did see that the tent where they had first gotten their food was now closed, and music could be heard from inside. As they entered the tent, they were surprised how crowded it was in there. It seemed that most of the servants and elves who weren’t of noble blood had gathered in the tent. They were laughing and clapping while a group of musicians was playing folk music. 

“Hey, I know that tune! That’s Dheanainn Sùgradh!’ Rayla piped up, pressing forward to see the musicians, just as a male and female moonshadow elf started to sing with beautiful harmonious tones.

“The what now?” Callum said as he pressed on after her. He sometimes had trouble keeping up with Rayla’s dialect. While most words she used were the same as the common human one, she seemed to also speak a more rural dialect. He usually heard her use it when she got really mad. But as he watched Rayla enjoying the song and mouthing along the words, he figured there was more to it. _Maybe I should ask her about it sometime._

Rayla had sat down in front of the musicians, with Callum standing close behind her. Everyone was focussed on the music. Most of the elves had gathered around the musicians, except for a few elves dancing in the back of the tent. He looked around and eventually spotted the form of Zeron scooping up food in two large bowls near the food table, which was also in the back of the tent. He watched Zeron struggle for a moment to return to the crowd with the food while avoiding the dancers, but he managed, though just barely. 

“Here you go.” Zeron said as he handed Callum his bowl. It was filled with sweet rice, some vegetables and salty, fried potatoes. The sight of it made his mouth water. After the debacle by the bonfire, he still hadn’t eaten yet. Zeron gently placed the other bowl in Rayla’s lap, who looked up in surprise. As she saw who had handed her the food, her surprise turned into a frown, but she accepted it nonetheless. 

The song had ended, and the crowd whooped and cheered. The male elf of the duo addressed the group. “Thank ye fir yer kindness! We will continue after a wee break!” The crowd around them slowly moved about the tent as food and drink was served to the musicians. Callum sat down next to Rayla, who was already enjoying her food. To his surprise, they were quickly joined by the elven singers. “Mind if we sit here?” they asked. Rayla, who had her mouth full, gestured enthusiastically with her hand that it was alright. Callum now got a good look at the both of them. They both had white hair, a trait that Callum had learned to recognize as being typical for moonshadow elves. The male had short hair, and his face markings were delicate, with swirling thin lines going across his face. The female had several braids in her hair, woven in an intricate pattern, and her face markings adorned the sides and top of her face, but never touched the centre. Callum thought the both of them looked very beautiful, though in his mind they would never compare to how he had seen Rayla when he had painted her. 

“So, who are you two?” The elven woman asked. 

Rayla swallowed her mouthful. “I’m Rayla, that’s Callum.” 

“Pleasure! I’m Harismu, and this is my beloved, Anduel.” The woman said as she looked them both over. Then a frown crossed her face as she now really looked at Callum. “Wait…. Is he… the human prince?”

Callum cringed at the way she said this. “Maybe…?” He said shyly.

“Yeah, he is.” Rayla said rather proudly. 

“Oh, sorry, it’s just that… we’ve never seen a human before.”

Anduel grunted. “Aye, only elves nowadays who seen a human up close have been soldiers. Is it true that ye have a fifth finger?” The man spoke with a heavy moonshadow accent, much thicker than Rayla’s. It was understandable, but barely. Callum held up his hand and wiggled his fingers. The man recoiled at the sight. “Ugh! That’s downright disgustin’ that is!” 

He got a slap in the side from Harismu.. “Behave, they are guests of the king.” 

Callum cleared his throat. “Do all elves really think badly about all humans?”

The elven woman looked hurt. “Well, I wouldn’t say badly… I hope we didn’t say anything to offend you?”

“Well, no, it’s just that your reaction is…” Callum didn’t quite know how to finish his sentence. He didn’t want to sound rude. It just irked him that the only person who had been really welcoming was also the person that had stabbed his girlfriend. 

Anduel grunted. “There’s been animosity between our two races. We’ve heard nothin’ but bad stuff about ye and yers. Imagine our surprise when they announced peace and possible trade!” He snorted, then looked Callum in the eyes. “Can’t say A like humans in general. But A’m alright with getting to know ya, see what ye’re made of, yer highness.” Callum could do nothing but smile at that.

As the night progressed, he talked with several other elves about their differences. Rayla supplied her opinion when asked for, but she noticed that Callum really was the centre of attention that night. She wasn’t jealous about that per se. She imagined that Callum would feel not unlike her when she was confronted with the bigotry about their races. But she did notice that Callum could make people feel more at ease. She smiled. _It might have something to do with the way he looks. He’s a big softy. Who could ever feel threatened by him?_ And yet, he also had a way with words. Once, not too long ago, he even gave an assassin pause, persuading her not to kill him, using just words. She looked at him as he told a group of elves about Katolis, some still eying him with distrust, but most of them being much more curious. _We’ve still got a long road ahead of ourselves._ She shook her head and tried to pick up the tread of the conversation. Eventually, the musicians started playing again, and Rayla and Callum joined the crowd, clapping and laughing along the various drinking songs that followed. The party lasted deep into the night, until morning came. 

-/-/-/-

Back in Duren, Ezran was just having a meeting with Aanya about the outcome of the ball. Both of them were pretty pleased. 

“I think king Aureum Umbra got the message.” Queen Aanya said as she looked at the various papers on the table. Most of them were the beginnings of trade agreements between various western cities of Xadia. 

King Ezran nodded. “Yup. The human kingdoms are on the map, and we are not going anywhere!” He grabbed another jellytart and started munching. 

Aanya looked at the boy with an amused smile. “You know, you’ll get fat if you keep this up right?” 

“Uhm swill gwowing!” Ezran mumbled, wiping away the crumbs from the table before they could smudge the important documents. Aanya giggled at his boyish manerisms. 

From the corner of the room, Soren watched the proceedings. As a crownsguard, he was to accompany the king wherever he went, and though he usually stayed outside of the room during important meetings. However, this was just a small discussion. _More of a celebration actually…_ he mused as he eyed the various appetizers on the table. He enjoyed seeing the young king happy like this. It reminded him that he still was a child at heart. 

Still, a sombre mood had taken hold of Soren ever since he had arrived in Duren. After the battle at the Storm Spire, all enemy soldiers were rounded up and transported back home. Claudia wasn’t among them. Soren had led a few search parties to search for his father and sister, as well as round up any other soldiers who had fled. While they did come across a few soldiers, they hadn’t found Viren or Claudia. There was no trace of them at all. 

And he was happy with that. No news was good news, because that meant they weren’t dead. Soren hoped they had just given up and had fled. However, now that he had arrived in Calatheas, he had learned of a dark magic cult, and that Viren was leading them from Neolandia. Soren just hoped that Claudia had the sense to escape their father’s clutches. But he doubted it. 

He was interrupted by king Ezran as he approached him. “Hey, you want a pastry?” The king held out a small tray with a variety of goods.

“Well, can’t say no to that!” Soren replied cheerfully as he grabbed one of the pastries. 

“I hope these will cheer you up. You haven’t been smiling so often.” 

Soren paused mit-bite as he heard that. He looked down at the king, who looked at him earnestly. Soren put the pastry down with a sigh. “I’m just worried about my sister.” 

The king nodded. “Yeah… Claudia was nice…” 

“IS nice Ez- my king.” Soren corrected him. 

Queen Aanya also came over, having made a neat stack of all the various documents on the table. “Claudia… she is the high mage's daughter, isn’t she?”

“That’s her!” Soren replied.

“Wasn’t she fighting against us at the Storm Spire?” Queen Aanya asked in a skeptical tone.

“Well, yes… but probably only because dad told her to. I know that she would never want to harm anyone herself.” Soren quickly defended his sister, even though he doubted his own statement.

Ezran added to that doubt. “I don’t think that’s right Soren. I know she’s your sister and all, but when that fake-Viren wanted to kill me, she didn’t do anything to help me. She actually tried to stop you from helping.” Ezran looked up to his most skilled crownguard and lifelong friend. “I don’t think Claudia is on our side anymore.” 

Soren opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out. He began to realise only now how far his sister had gone to help her dad that day. She had murdered humans and elves without hesitation with her magic, and if she was responsible for ilusion-Viren, then she tried to kill Ezran. With shame he recalled he tried to do the same once. 

He pressed his lips together, trying to contain his emotions. When that failed, he pressed his eyes shut with his fingers. Ezran put his hand against Soren’s hip as a show of comfort. He felt him tremble slightly, even through the armour. Queen Aanya looked at the two with worry. _Even in victory, there still is loss,_ she mused. _We must never forget how this conflict affects us all._

-/-/-/-

The next morning the caravan broke camp much sooner than Rayla and Callum expected. They both groaned, really wanting to sleep in for once. Begrudgingly they packed their stuff and resumed their journey eastwards, towards the Storm Spire. King Aureum Umbra said his goodbyes and flew off, leaving the caravan to its own devices. The caravan left as soon as they were able. The journey would take another day at the least, and they were expected to make camp in the oasis in the midnight desert. 

“Alright, pack it up! Make sure to refill your canteens people! We’re going through a desert!” One of the commanders of the platoon that escorted them was shouting commands throughout the camp. Even though the larger part of the caravan wasn’t military and they didn’t have to obey any orders, they were smart enough to heed his advice.

Rayla helped Callum up on his saraph and jumped up after him. Callum was once again amazed at her agility. “I wish I could do that,” he said as Rayla took her seat behind him.

She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a peck on his cheek. “You can fly dummy.”

He grinned. “There’s that.” 

They were silent for a while as the caravan got moving. Several soldiers were making sure that everyone was keeping pace. Both Callum and Rayla were focussed on keeping their saraph in line with the rest of the column, but once they picked up the pace, the beast would just follow the one in front of it on his own. 

“So,” started Callum. “What will you do when we reach the Storm Spire?” 

Rayla puffed her cheeks. “Probably take care of a whole load of paperwork. And check in on the rest of the dragonguard of course.”

“Hmmm, I wonder if Ibis is back yet. I think that he could teach me some more magic. Man, I really hope he will be my teacher!” 

Rayla grinned. “Yeah, Ibis is nice. He helped me set up the dragonguard. Couldn’t have done it without him really.”

They were both silent for a while. Callum was softly stroking the arms wrapped around his torso. There where questions he wanted to ask, but he was a bit afraid of asking them. Eventually, he figured he might as well get it out in the open, if only because there was nothing else really worth discussing. 

“So, Rayla…” 

“Yes, _Callum?”_ Rayla quipped in a singsong voice. She did it teasingly, and it made him grin.

“Well, I'll be gone for a while soon, because of my studies.” 

“Oh… yes, and?” Raylas voice took a more guarded tone now, and Callum picked up on that.

“Well, how can we keep in touch? Can I write you? And what about visiting? I don’t know how often I can visit, but can I just drop by whenever I want?” Callum felt nervous as he asked his question. He was basically asking what their relationship was going to be like, and even though they had been through a lot, secretly he was still afraid that something would happen that would mess this up.

Rayla thought for a while before answering. “I mean, I don’t really know? I like having you around, so please do drop by whenever you can, but I do have a job to do you know?”

“I’m glad you say that,” Callum said. It made him feel a little more secure. “I guess I’ll just study magic if you’re busy.” He bit his lip, then continued. “Do you think I can stay in your room when I’m over?”

Rayla shook her head, then remembered that Callum couldn't see her, as she sat behind him. “No, I don’t think so. I hope to have the last three candidates for the dragonguard within the next month or so, which means I'll be bunking with someone else.” She leaned in closer to him, and whispered in his ear. “But when you’re over, I’ m sure I can sneak of to whatever guest room you’re stayin’ in.”

Callum shivered. “I'm looking forward to that. But what should I do when I'm away? I mean, can I write you?”

Rayla pressed herself closer to him. “All the time dummy. Though I prefer your sketches. They give me somethin’ to look at.” 

“I'll write you every day then! And I'll make sure to sketch as much as possible!” 

Rayla laughed. “Oh wow, that'll be an awful lot of readin’ for me then! I can’t promise that I'll write you back that often, but I can try.” 

“Oh, I’m already looking forward to yours. I expect nothing less than a ten-page moonshadow love poem!” 

This got to Rayla, and she burst out laughing. “Agh, ya dafty! Ev’n i’ A wrote that, ye kinna ev’n reed most a it!” 

It took Callum a few moments to process what she said. “So, about your accent...” 

“Whut aboot it?” Rayla replied, her accent now so thick that Callum suspected that she was doing it on purpose. 

“Well, you usually don’t talk like that… but I notice you sometimes do, like when you got really mad during that fight in Duren, or last night when we talked with those moonshadow elves.”

“Ah, that, right.” Callum noticed she swallowed and sounded like normal again. “Well, my parents and their parents were all pretty rural. So, yeah, I suppose to you it would sound like we have a pretty thick accent.”

“Oh? I never knew that!”

“You didn’t ask.” She smiled. “But now you know.” 

Callum shrugged. “So why do you usually speak, you know, my kind of normal?”

Rayla sighed. “Because our accent was a bit too thick for other elves to be understandable. I had to learn to adjust my accent pretty quickly. Runaan and Ethari were used to it, bein’ friends with my parents and all, and when I was raised by them, I just learned to speak without the rural parts of the accent I suppose.” 

Callum thought about what she said for a moment. He then half-turned in his saddle so he could look her in the eyes. 

“You know, I think your accent is cute.” 

Rayla was honestly surprised by that. “What, for real?” 

“Yeah! It makes you more exotic! You’re like that mysterious stranger coming from a land far away having this mysterious accent. Basicly the protagonist of a fairy tale!” 

Rayla laughed and blushed a little. “Thanks! I never saw it that way!” 

Callum smiled at her. “You know, you can just use your old accent if you want to. I don’t mind.” 

“Thanks Callum, but I got used to the way I talk normally right now. It’s like you said, it shimmers through sometimes when I get emotional.”

“Okay, cool, but can you, like, talk to me for a bit in your original accent?”

Now Rayla was blushing, feeling a bit put-on-the-spot. “Uuhh… what do you want me to say?”

Callum now sat half-turned in the saddle, one hand on her hip, the other keeping a firm grip on the saddle to keep his balance. Rayla saw that he was enjoying this topic of conversation. “Just tell me about yourself!” 

“O-okay! Hummm….” Rayla swallowed and coughed. She felt a bit nervous now that she knew Callum was paying attention to literally every word she said, and how she said it. “Right, Ma name is Rayla, A’m sixteen years old, and A live in a wee village called ta Silvergrove. A love ta fight usin’ me swords, and….” She was now struggling to come up with something to say. “A am ta captain o’ ta dragonguard. Oh! And A love a wee lad who’s also ta prince of Katolis!” she said the last part with a glimmer in her eye. Callum’s mouth was slightly open. Rayla giggled at the sight. “Ya liked it then?”

Callum grinned and kissed her. “I just love exotic beauties.” 

This only made Rayla blush and giggle. _Gods, how far I’ve fallen for him._

Their small talk kept them going throughout the rest of the day, until the sun set and camp was made yet again. By that time, they had reached a familiar oasis in the middle of the Midnight desert. Dinner went as expected. The nobility still mostly shunned Callum, though after yesterday’s display nobody was overly offensive, but Rayla and Callum found that they much preferred the company of the servants above that of their masters. After dinner, they decided they needed some time apart though, so they grabbed a blanket and snuck off to a cluster of palm trees at the edge of the oasis. From here, they could oversee the entire oasis. Soon, the two engaged in a game of sweet words and kisses, that ended with Rayla now resting in Callum’s welcoming arms. In the distance they could see the rest of the caravan, the bonfires illuminating the tents around them. 

Callum shifted uncomfortably, his hands softly stroking her shoulders and hair. Rayla enjoyed his caresses, but noticed the hesitation. Eventually, she noticed that he had stopped touching her completely and felt him shift and turn. She figured by the movement that Callum was nervous. It was the same kind of jitters he got when he had some kind of crazy idea in his mind. 

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Alright, out with it.” 

“W-wha?” Callum made some unintelligent noise, his arms resting on her hips slightly cramping down on her. 

Rayla had to smile mischievously, _Got you!_ she thought. “I can feel yer tense, dummy. You're thinking about something, but are too afraid to say it.” She shook her head a bit, but carefully. She wouldn’t want to skewer her boyfriend with her horns. 

“Well… umm…. The thing is…” Callum stammered, not quite getting through his own sentences in one piece. He swallowed. In a very small voice, he said; “Can I touch them?” 

Rayla’s eyes widened. “What!?” Rayla got up in a rush and whipped around, staring at Callum who was looking at her with a scared expression, a blush creeping on his face. 

“Aah! SorrysorryI-I.. I was just curious…!” He waved one hand in front of him, trying to dissuade her from doing anything violent. 

Rayla in the meantime was still on her knees in front of her boyfriend. She was blushing furiously and had crossed her arms in front of her chest protectively. “W-what did you say!?” 

Callum, in a tiny voice answered : “C-can I touch them?” He was looking at her curiously, but also shyly.

Rayla felt like she was going crazy. She didn’t know what had brought that up all of a sudden, and didn’t know how to respond. _Oh gods, what do I do, what do I do? Should I let him?_ Her heart suddenly hammered in her chest as Rayla’s thoughts wandered back to their moment together in Duren. They had shared an intimate moment together after Callum’s painting session, and their make-out session had gotten quite intense. Rayla shivered as she remembered Callums hands on her body. She hesitated, not at all comfortable with their new level of intimacy, but at the same time she didn’t want to seem prudish or afraid of the direction their relationship was going. _I suppose it makes sense for him to ask… after all that._

“A-alright, go ahead.” Rayla slowly let her arms down, her hands coming to rest upon her knees. She closed her eyes and leaned forward, expecting his touch with a certain level of apprehension. 

She felt him lean towards her. Her body tensed, preparing her for the moment of impact, but when it came, she was very much surprised as she felt his touch. Her eyes flew open as she felt his hands very gently caress her horns. She made no sound but mouthed ‘Oh’ as she now realised his intent had been completely different from what she had thought.

“They are so smooth!” Callum said with wonder in his voice as he moved his fingers across her horns. “I expected them to be rougher with those grooves.” Her horns were indeed pretty smooth, the grooves being very superficial, though you could see and feel that they were there. Callum was entranced by the pattern they made upon her horns. 

Rayla swallowed. “Y-yeah, I get that. You have to wipe them regularly if you want them to remain smooth.” She felt her body relax, feeling it was no longer in danger of being groped in other places. “Please don’t yank them. My head is still attached you know?” She said jokingly, trying to lighten the mood. 

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Callum replied, totally oblivious to what she had been feeling just now. She felt his fingers slowly reach the tip of her horns, felt them press upon the tip of them, testing their sharpness. “Whoa!” He exclaimed.

Rayla realised what had happened. “Please don’t get blood on them!” Her hands immediately went to his wrists to dislodge him. He let her, and when she released his wrists he stuck his finger in his mouth. 

“Shwarp!” he mumbled. 

Rayla rolled her eyes. “Well of course they would be, dummy!” 

Callum looked at her, a surprised expression on his face. “Rayla! You look… flustered?” 

Rayla felt more blood creep up to her cheeks. She cursed inwardly. _Just when I thought I had regained my composure…_ “Yeah, I mean…” she looked away.

“Rayla, what is it?” Callum looked concerned now, afraid he had hurt her or something. He sat close to her and put an arm around her. She let him and actually leaned in to him a little.

“Well, it’s probably stupid. I just thought you were going for… something else…” she said, feeling her cheeks burn. She still refrained from looking him in the eye. 

“Huh? Like what?”

Rayla mentally slapped herself. _He really didn’t have a clue, did he!?_ “I mean… I thought you wanted to… continue what we did on the balcony.” She gave him a sidelong look. 

Callum slowly connected the dots, but when he figured it out, he looked abashed. “Wha-no! Nononono that's not what I wanted to do!” Callum hastily said. “I mean, sure I want to, but not if you-” Callum was quickly silenced as Rayla put her finger against his lips. 

“Shhhh.... You’re makin’ it awkward.” Rayla waited for a moment before she removed her finger. She wanted to be sure that her sweet dumb human prince would shut up. When it seemed Callum got the message, she rather roughly bumped into him and settled in his arms, her back to him. “Just hug me already.” She said softly. 

Callum was hesitant in placing his hands on her, but complied after only a moment of hesitation. Rayla held onto his arms and pulled him closer. “Rayla…” 

She didn’t respond. Callum couldn’t see her face, so again he called her name. “Rayla… what’s the matter?” 

He felt her chest heave as she sighed deeply. “I dunno. I’m...scared? Eh…” Another deep sigh. “I’ve never been this close to anyone before Callum… some of the things we do...scare me.” 

“Pffft, you mean like sneaking past a giant dragon? Or fighting off an army of darkness?” He joked. His jokes fell on deaf ears however.

“This isn’t funny Callum!” she replied terstly. “I’m tryin’ to be honest here!” 

“Right… sorry.” Callum replied mournfully. It sounded like he meant it. Rayla gave him a reassuring pat on his hip. 

“Anyway… I mean, you’re my first boyfriend. I’m your first as well right?” Rayla felt Callum nod. “Aren’t you… you know, scared?”

Callum shrugged, the movement felt by Rayla. “I mean, I don’t think about it enough to be scared I guess? Does that make sense? Like, when we are kissing, I do feel funny, but it feels good and exciting and I guess I just let that feeling tell me what to do.” He snorted. “I mean, there’s no way that I could do something without your consent, right? You could easily snap my arm.”

Rayla grinned. _I could, yeah._ “I mean, I suppose… but… what if I’m not sure if I want to do stuff?”

“Then we’ll just wait.” Callum said quickly. Rayla said nothing, but nodded. She still felt uncomfortable about the topic, but didn’t really want to continue talking about it right now. Instead, she felt grateful that Callum didn’t seem to mind her state at all. 

She grabbed a blanket and pulled it over the two of them, nestling herself close to him. “This is nice.” she whispered, closing her eyes. Callum gently stroked her horns and hair with one hand, the other arm wrapped around her torso. 

“Yeah, this is perfect.” he replied, planting a kiss in her hair. 

-/-/-/-

After six long days of travel through the desert, Claudia could finally spot the camp which was their home, however temporary. _I sure hope it’s temporary,_ Claudia thought. _I’ve never been fond of camping._ The track through the desert would have been impossible, were it not for their possession of parts of the emperor reigar. The beak had been most useful. They could use it for protection against the desert cold and heat, and some other parts could be used to extract water from the air. As for the rest of the body of the dead creature, well, meat was meat. 

Claudia was excited, though she was also a bit worried. Ever since joining up with Aaravos, they had gotten in the possession of increasingly powerful magic ingredients. Claudia was now able to do magic she hadn’t even dreamed of before! However, their dealings with Aaravos had begun to take a toll upon her father. He seemed reluctant to really take charge, or to use dark magic. She frowned. Her father had explained to her who Aaravos was, briefly. The gist of it was that he was a trapped elf who used this bug creature as his avatar. He wanted to help Viren conquer Xadia. And he hated dragons. _He’s an elf though,_ she thought. _So why is he so hellbent on helping us?_ She looked as the creature walked beside Viren. It’s wings were broken and torn in places, so it was unable to fly. On its back it was carrying all the parts and ingredients from the emperor reigar they could gather, including ,most importantly, the large bundle of feathers. They weren’t able to take all of it with them, but Viren said that they would send members of their group back to gather the rest. As she contemplated this, the creature turned it’s head and looked at her. Claudia felt a shiver run down her spine. She shrugged it off and sped up to walk besides Viren. 

“So, dad…” 

“Yes daughter?” Viren looked at her sideways. His face still showed signs of corruption, even though he hadn’t used dark magic ever since the battle at the Storm Spire, the corrupted sun spell he used against the emperor reigar being the only exception. 

Claudia turned her attention away from her father’s corrupted face and back to the topic at hand. “Well, now that we have the feathers, and the organs, and the eyeballs, what are we going to do with it?”

“We are going to make sure people will listen to us Claudia. With the power to charm people, we will be able to make the rulers of the human kingdoms listen to reason. And Neolandia is in dire need of new leadership.”

“Oh, so, you are going to be like a king again?” She looked at him expectantly.

Viren shook its head. “No, that didn’t really work out in Katolis. I think it would be better if I stayed in the shadows. But if we replace the dying king of Neolandia and ‘persuade’ the rulers of Bel Dar, we have two kingdoms to back our endeavours!”

Claudia smiled. Her father really thought of everything. One thing bothered her though. “Do you think we can use some of that magic to get Soren back?” She whispered hopefully, not wanting to be overheard by Aaravos.

Viren sighed. “Your brother chose his path. Let him suffer it. He is of no use to us Claudia.” He gave her a hard look. 

Claudia quickly looked away. “You’re probably right…” she muttered. 

Viren watched her walking along, looking at her feet. His reply had been hard, but internally, he was torn. _Oh, dear Soren, why did you have to choose against us?_ Even though he thought his son was a stupid oaf, he did love him and miss him. _Still, humanity comes first._ He glanced sideways at Aaravos, who seemed to ignore their conversation. _He wants me to create this ‘Heart of a Dragon’. But why? Sure, such a primal stone would be incredibly powerful, but I can’t help but wonder if there’s not more to this._ He gave Aaravos a sidelong glance. _Tread carefully now, star-elf. Once the time is right, I will rid myself of you, before you grow to powerful._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are again. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I actually had to adjust a lot of the stuff I already wrote for Eye of the Storm. This chapter was originally 20K words long, but that just wouldn’t work in the current set-up for various reasons (too much Rayllum, not enough spotlight for other characters, too much dialogue, too little action, etc etc). So I shifted things around a bit, moving quite a few parts to chapter 3, and scrapping other parts. Scrapped parts might appear in a different work as a series of one-shots. 
> 
> As always, thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this piece, leave a review! And if you don’t, leave a review! I always believe in honesty, and though I of course like the compliments, I also recognize that there is still much to learn for me in the world of writing. Cheers mates!


	3. Mortality

After another long day of travel, the caravan finally reached the bottom of the Storm Spire. Most of the elven delegates departed immediately back to their various homes and estates, but a lot of nobles stayed, seeking further audience with the dragon king. They were now bargaining with some dragons to give them a lift so that they could forgo the long climb to the top.

The dragonguard was present as well. Rayla was immediately greeted by Pincaelo, who had flown down from the spire to greet the visitors. 

“Captain Rayla! You’re back!” The excitable young skywing elf dropped down in front of them and gave Rayla a hug, which Rayla was very hesitant to accept. 

“Erm… that’s fine Pincaelo. Good to be here and all, you can let go now!” 

She did and saw Callum standing a few feet away, already hoisting various bags filled with Rayla’s newly acquired ‘birthday funds’. “Prince Callum! You’ve returned as well!”

“Yup!” Said Callum, trying not to show how heavy these bags felt. 

“Any news in my absence?” Rayla asked, trying to stay professional. 

The elf shook her head. “Not really. No attacks, no intrusions, no news from other parts of Xadia. It’s been a quiet week!” 

Rayla sighed deeply. _Finally! That means no more days bein’ cooped up and writin’ reports!_ “That’s good to hear! Do you think you can help us get our stuff back up the mountain?”

“Sure! What do you have?” 

Rayla looked back to Callum, who gestured at the pile of bags behind him. It was a small pile, but all the jewels and coins made it rather heavy. 

Pincaelo puffed her cheeks as she saw the pile. “I’ll need a few trips. Well, better get started!” She grabbed a bag, tested its weight, and flew up in the sky. 

Rayla watched her shoot up as Callum walked up next to her. “So, you wanna walk with the rest or shall I carry you up there?” Callum said, also looking up as the skywing dragonguard disappeared in the air. 

“Why on earth would we want to walk when we can fly?” Rayla asked, astonished that he would even suggest walking. 

“Well, it’s good exercise. Besides, last time I followed you up on that mountain, I found the view in front of me was really… fascinating.” 

It took Rayla only a moment to comprehend what he was getting at. She blushed, but had to laugh at his crude joke and gave him a playful shove. Unfortunately, Callum was already weighed down by the bags and he failed to keep his balance. He fell backward and landed on his rump. Rayla stood before him, hands on her hips, a devious smile on her face.

“Well that should serve you right, makin’ jokes like that.”

Callum merely grint. “So worth it though.” 

“I bet it was…” Rayla mumbled, more to herself and anyone else. She helped him get up again. “Well, it seems you need to make a choice my sweet dummy prince. Either you get to ‘enjoy the view’ while we're walking up there, which will take _all day!_ Or…” 

“Or what?”

“I get to hold you very close as you fly us up there.” 

Callum pretended to think about it. “Really? I mean, why choose? We could just walk one half, and…” He was quickly shut up as Rayla stumped him in the stomach, then kissed him on the mouth. 

“Ouch! Is it always going to be like this?” He said, laughing because of her violent show of affection. 

“Only if you play dumb, dummy. Just carry us. If we get up there quickly, we can relax in my room a little.” Her eyes were twinkling as she said it. 

Callum immediately dropped the bags and stretched his arms. “Manus-pluma-volantis!” He said rather hastily and his mage wings appeared. 

Rayla grinned. _Hook, line and sinker!_

-/-/-/-

Once the pair landed on the plateau, they were greeted by Bosor. “Ah, captain! And prince Callum…” 

Rayla snickered at Bosor’s hesitance to accept Callum, not really put off by it. “Yes Bosor, we’re back.” 

“I didn’t expect you to arrive so soon. Now that you’re here, I should let you know the king has asked for your presence.”

Rayla sighed. “Well, so much for quietly sneaking inside.” She pecked Callum on the cheek. “I won’t be long, I hope.”

“Actually, I meant prince Callum.” Bosor clarified, visibly uneasy with the display of affection. 

Both Callum and Rayla were surprised by that. “Oh. Right, well, best not keep him waiting then!” Rayla said nervously. Callum gulped.

They both entered the spire, where they saw Keryn and Catlyn quietly talking to each other. Rayla greeted them but walked with Callum to the entrance of the great hall. Callum could already see the two dragons sitting inside, waiting for him. 

“Go on, I’m sure it will be fine.” Rayla encouraged him. 

“I know, but still. _Dragons!_ ” 

Rayla snickered. “Yeah, but try to remember they are on our side. Queen Zubeia is actually quite nice.” 

Callum looked at her questinally at that statement, but Rayla didn’t elaborate. He took a deep sigh, steeled himself and walked in. 

“Goodluck!” Rayla shouted, while she positioned herself near the door. 

As soon as she sat down, someone else sat down next to her. It was Catlyn, wearing a stupid grin on her face. “So, my dear captain. Tell me all about your little excursion!” 

Rayla groaned. _Ugh, of course. Here we go..._

Callum walked into the great hall. King Aureum Umbra and queen Zubeia were already waiting for him, but Callum also saw another figure; a tall elf with pale, blue skin wearing dark green and blue robes not unlike Ibis had worn, but these seemed more elaborate. The elf was male and had a pointed face. White markings covered the sides and centre of his face. It was a pattern where the straight lines swirled a little, but every hook and corner was jagged and sudden. It only made his appearance more daunting. Long white hair flowed down and was woven in an intricate pattern. Two horns protruded from his head, edging outwords before making a sudden turn upwards. The man looked at him with a stern expression. “ _This_ is my new student? Is this why I was summoned with all due haste!?”

“Watch your tone, master Thorus. Remember who your betters are,” the king spoke in warning tones. The elf shut up but didn’t seem happy about it. “Prince Callum. As promised, I have found you a teacher of the sky arcanum. This here is master Thorus. He is the most gifted mage of the sky arcanum in all of Xadia. You could not wish for a better teacher.”

Callum thought that with the attitude this elf had just shown, he just might. Still, he didn’t want to be rude, nor make a bad first impression. He bowed slightly as he addressed the elf. “Master Thorus, it’s nice to meet you. I’m-’

“Some prince, yes, I’ve heard. My king, please explain why I have to teach a human about the sky arcanum?” 

Callum thought it was high time for a demonstration, but the king beat him to his response. “You do not get to make demands of your king, Thorus. Instead, you will do as asked, and trust in our better judgment. Do I make myself clear?” The king growled as he lowered his head towards Thorus. Callum thought it best not to interrupt them. He turned his attention to queen Zubeia, but she was purposefully not looking to what was happening, instead tending to Zym, who was enjoying the nudges from his mother. When he looked back, Thorus seemed to have resigned himself to his fate. 

“Fine, I will teach him… as you demand, my liege. Just tell me, how am I supposed to get him to the Aero Temple? Would you have me carry him on my back as well?”

The dragon king snickered, a low rumbling sound that echoed through the halls. “You will find that this human is very… resourceful. Now go! Teach him until the prince is satisfied, or until you hear otherwise.” 

The elf grimaced, bowed and walked towards the exit. As he passed Callum, he didn’t even look at him. “Follow me then.” he said, as he continued walking, not even looking to see if Calluma actually followed.

Callum muttered a thank you to the dragons, bowed quickly and followed his new teacher. He caught up and walked slightly behind him, figuring that he would address him when he was ready for it. He had a bad feeling about this however. This elf seemed to be quite upset that he had a human thrust upon him. _Oh well,_ thought Callum, _I’m sure that as soon as he sees what I can do with the sky arcanum, that he will be happy to teach me!_ At least, he hoped so.

As soon as he had exited the great hall, Rayla caught up with him. “Hey! How did it go?” 

Callum shrugged and gave her a worried frown, pointing at the elf he was following at a brisk pace. 

“Oh…” Rayla gave them a confused glance, and walked along in silence.

As they reached the plateau in front of the entrance of the spire, the elf stopped. He still had his back to them. “So, the great dragon wants me to teach you about the sky arcanum… I can’t see the wisdom in teaching you, as the knowledge is wasted on the likes of you. But alright, we’ll see how long you will last…” He now turned around. He looked surprised at Rayla’s appearance. “Ah, the dragonguard captain. I’m pleased to know that you keep an eye on your guests. I do hope you will keep protecting the Storm Spire from any danger.” His eyes shot to Callum as he said that last part. 

Rayla didn’t have the patience for this kind of attitude. “Are you quite done?”

The elf blinked. “Begging your pardon?” 

“You’re being an arse, even by elven standards.” 

“I’m merely pointing out possible… points of aggression.” 

“You’re a point of aggression right now!” 

The man seemed disgusted by the comment. “It pains me to find out that the esteemed captain of the dragonguard is such a spoiled brat.”

Rayla looked shocked for only a second, before spitting out her own reply. “Careful now, before I throw ye of da spire maself! Ya can at least be a little respectful!”

“I’ll decide for myself who has earned my respect. You’re just a baby with a sword. I assume your parents are the reason you have got your job?” 

Callum stared as the shouting match errupted in front of him. Several dragonguard came to look at what had gotten their captain worked up like that. Callum looked around to see if any of them could help, as Rayla was poised to go for his new teacher’s throat. He spotted Zeron among the dragonguard, watching impassively. 

“Zeron, could you perhaps…?” Callum gestured at the pair. 

Zeron shook his head however. “Doesn’t seem particularly healthy for me to get involved.”

Callum gave him an aspherated look. “What should I do then?”

Zeron seemed unsure for a moment. “You know I’m not a people person, right?”

Callum nodded, keeping a wary eye at his girlfriend and his teacher. Thorus was shouting something about him being able to easily blow their entire dragonguard off of this mountain, and Rayla warning him that should he try, it would have dire consequences. 

“Well, whatever you do Callum, I suggest you pick your girlfriend’s side, in public at least. Nothing good ever came off fighting against the one you love.” 

Callum sighed. He supposed he should try to placate the two, just as he had done in the past with Soren, Claudia and Rayla. Thing is, he was relatively sure of the outcome then, being friends with all of them. He didn’t know what this elfs deal was, and the only thing that kept him from joining Rayla in the shouting match was that this was his one and only appointed teacher. He grumbled and walked back to the pair.

“- and if you think that any mage would stand for such insult-!”

“Insults!? You’re da one calling me a greenhorn!”

“Alright, alright, break it up!” Callum pushed himself between them. “Lets just all calm down and take a deep breath.” He gave the both of them a wary look.

“You don’t get to tell _me_ to calm down, you human scum!” The elf spat. Rayla opened her mouth to defend her boyfriend but Callum glanced at her and shook his head. 

“I don’t know why you’re angry mister Thorus.” 

“It’s _master_ Thorus, you ingrate! Don’t you know anything!?” 

Callum swallowed and tried to keep his cool. “Master Thorus, very well. It seems that you are to be my teacher. How and when and where do you want to begin teaching me?” 

The elf called Thorus gave Callum a long, hard look, with some occasional hateful glares towards Rayla, who eagerly returned them. “I suppose as soon as we reach the Sky Temple. Do you humans still use horses?” 

“We do… though if I may ask, how did you get here?”

The elf eyes narrowed. “By using magic beyond your comprehension.”

Callum tried hard not to roll his eyes out of reflex. “Right, but, you flew, right?”

The elf crossed his arms. “...yes, of course.”

Callum gave him a bright smile. “Great! I’ll make sure I’ll be able to keep up then!” 

Now Thorus burst into laughing. “Whaha! You!? Fly!? And how are you going to manage that?” 

A sly grin crossed Callum’s face as he stretched his arms and intoned the spell. “Manus, pluma, volantis!” His mage wings appeared causing both the elf and Rayla to jump backwards, though the latter was expecting it. The look of utter shock on Thorus was priceless. 

“Wha- what?” He looked Callum over once, twice, thrice, but he could not discover a primal stone. _Nor should it be possible for him, a human, to cast this particular spell anyway!_

“B-but how?”

Rayla flicked out her blade and toyed with it, while giving Thorus a sidelong glance. “Oh, you’ll find the prince is very talented…” She gave him a grin that mirrored that of Callum. 

Thorus looked flabbergasted, but tried to regain his composure. “R-right. Well, try to be here by tomorrow morning, so we can leave at sunrise. If you can indeed keep up, it shouldn’t take more than a full day of flying to reach the Sky Temple.” He gave another look of disbelief to Callum, who folded his wings and dispelled them. “Just be prepared human. You will be stuck at the temple for several months before we let you leave again. The study will be rigerious!”

If the elf hoped to see any doubt in Callum’s face, he failed, as Callum simply smiled. “No worries. This is what I want! I’ll see you tomorrow then!” Callum turned, grabbed Rayla by the arm and quickly walked away, leaving Thorus on the platform. 

“Well, that went… okay I suppose.” Callum mused.

Rayla scoffed at his remark. “Really? You’re stuck with a scunner for a teacher Callum. Really, I feel sorry for you.” 

“Maybe he just needs to warm to my charming personality?” 

Rayla snickered. “Maybe. But I doubt it.” 

Callum put his arms around her. “Right, now that’s done, I believe someone suggested we go somewhere more quiet?”

“Right, whoever gave you that idea?” Rayla said, but her eyes were already half closed as she leaned in to kiss him. 

“Ahum!”

The pair quickly broke off their kiss, turning in annoyance to face Bosor.

“Captain, sorry to interrupt…” 

“A’m sure you are…” Rayla said in a voice laiden with vinegar. 

“Uhm, well, it’s the nobles captain. They are starting a fight amongst themselves in the great hall. Your presence is requested to restore order.”

“Urgh!” Rayla gave an exasperated sigh. “Okay, fine, lead the way!” She quickly pecked Callum on the cheek. “This might take a while. I’ll come and find you when I’m done, alright?” 

Callum grinned. “Alright. You do what you do best; go kick some noble but!”

Rayla let out a short laugh. “That was awful Callum!” She quickly followed Bosor, who still eyed the pair with unease. _I really should have a talk with him one of these days,_ Rayla mused. It began to bother her a bit that he was harbouring bad feelings towards Callum.

Callum sighed as he watched Rayla walk back into the spire. _So much for our quiet time together,_ he thought. He looked around. It was rather busy up here. There were quite a lot of elves walking and talking at the plateau and in the Storm Spire. By the looks of it, most of them were held some sort of important position in Xadia. _Or they must just like pretty clothing and jewelry,_ he thought.. He figured the arrival of the caravan must have signalled some of the other nobles from Lux Aurea and other cities to meet up here so that they could speak to the dragon king together. He also figured he should stay out of their politics as much as he could. 

While observing his surroundings, his mind was replaying his encounter with his new teacher. He couldn’t say he especially liked the elf, but after the incident in the caravan, this sort of thing was to be expected. _Rayla had some encounters with hate and racism as well in Duren,_ Callum thought. Something bugged him though. Something that Thorum said. _‘You will be stuck at the temple for several months before we let you leave again…’ Several months…_ He had been separated from Rayla before, but only for about three weeks. And that was about a week ago. _Can I really be without her for several months?_ They did talk about this briefly during their trip back to the Storm Spire, but Callum had put off really thinking about it. His teacher warning him about this suddenly made this more real. He frowned. _I don’t want to think about this right now…._ Callum stretched. _Happy thoughts! Time for some distraction! I might as well do some practice with my magic._ He made his way to the top of the spire, determined to spend his time as useful as possible.

-/-/-/-

The castle gates opened for them as the king and his guard entered. Various soldiers saluted. Soren noted that the soldiers posted at the gates looked alert. He nodded with aprovel to them. _They should be on guard,_ he thought. _Viren is still alive, and so is Clauds. Who knows what they will send to Katolis…_ As a member of the crownsguard, he made it a point to be in up and top shape. He expected his fellow guards to do the same. 

The group dismounted and made their way to their own various quarters. There was no formal reception for the king as he returned, other than being greeted by Opili and the head of the castle guard. They both requested an audience with the king to get him up to speed with recent developments. 

Ezran sighed. “Do I have to Opili? I’ve traveled for a couple of days now! Can’t I get a jelly tart first?” 

Soren stifled a laugh. _That kid will never change._

Opili sighed. “His majesty can request jellytarts while we are having the meeting.”

Ezran immediately perked up. “I do so request it!” 

As they went inside and got the meeting started however, their good spirits disappeared quickly. The captain of the guard had little news to report, being only responsible for the safety and security of the castle, but the news Opili brought them was far more dire. 

“So far as we can tell, Neolandia has now fully embraced dark magic and are practicing this on a large scale. Men and women from all ages and all walks of life of joining the True Light as the cult of dark magic users call themselves.”

“How are we so sure that it’s a cult?” Soren piped up, still hopeful that somewhere, his sister had good intentions.

Opili looked at him with a blunt expression. “They seem to be operating similarly to the small group found in Duren. They spread a message of positivity why fueling their practices with the essence of magical creatures taken from Xadia.” 

“How do we know that they are taking creatures from Xadia?” Ezran asked. “Maybe they’re just using beetles and stuff from the desert.” 

Opili said nothing, but handed him a scroll. “This message came to the castle this morning. Since you appointed me as your replacement in your absence, I’ve take the liberty of investigating its contents.” She gently placed the scroll in Ezran’s lap. His appetite for jellytarts forgotten for the moment, he put his pastries aside and started reading the scroll. Soren winced as he saw Ezran’s buttery fingers stain the official document.

Ezran read the letter once, then once more, and then a third time. “No,no,no! This isn’t good!” He pointed at the offending letter as he looked at Opili. “This message is from king Aureum Umbra! He says that if we do not do something to stop the dark magic ingredient trade, that he cannot prevent individual elf tribes from striking back! I thought we had peace!” 

_That’s odd_ , thought Soren. _I thought Ez and that dragon king got along great a few days ago. Why the threatening message?_

Opili quickly placated the young king. “We still have peace. This message is bit of a test. The king of Xadia is simply trying to figure out how far you will go in our newfound alliance.” She looked down at the now stained letter. “Though he could have worded it more subtly. I also think this is his way of getting back at you for the letter you and queen Aanya sent to him.” 

Ezran frowned. “So… this is kind of like a game then? I make a move, and then he makes a move?”

Opili smiled and nodded. “The greatest game of all. The game of politics!” 

Now Ezran smiled as well. “Oh! I like games! Let’s play then! What do you think our next move should be?”

Opili smiled. “Well, let me teach you my king. I’m sure you will make for a daunting opponent.”

-/-/-/- 

Callum already figured that his magic skills should be top notch when he really started training with his teacher, and he hoped this last bit of practice would keep him focussed on this task. However, when he arrived, he found that the plateau there was already occupied. One of the dragonguard was training there. Callum remembered her name. _Kiyara, I believe._ He watched as she swung her sword in quick arcs around her. He spotted Zeron walking in a large circle around her, observing her form, commenting occasionally. 

“Keep the flow Kiyara. Slow down if you must, but keep the flow.” 

Kiyara grunted, spun and twisted, her blade circling around her form. Callum imagined that no enemy could get close to her while she had that sword in her hand. It was truly a unique fighting style. _More like an art style really. I wonder if Soren could win if he fought her._ He walked around her to where Zeron was standing. Just as he was about to speak, Zeron held up his hand without looking to him, motioning for him to stay quiet. 

“Alright, now practice your finisher.” Zeron said, his eyes trained on the elf and her blade.

Kiyara slowed down for only a moment, before her sword circled upwards from her side very rapidly, ending with a strong swipe at head-height. She remained motionless in that final pose, panting heavily. 

Zeron nodded. “Well done Kiyara. You are improving. You need to work on your footwork though. You remain in the same spot for too long.”

“Thank... you...my mentor.” She took a few deep breaths to regain her composure. 

Zeron walked up to her and patted her shoulder. “Get some rest, get cleaned up. Your shift starts in a few hours after all.” 

She gave him a weak smile and made her way down, back to her quarters. 

Once she left, Callum couldn’t contain his excitement. “That was amazing! The way she swooshed her sword, and then like, twisted and slashed! Wow!” 

Zeron laughed. “I’m glad you liked it. I’ve been training her for a while now. She’s really improving. I’m proud that she got to serve in the dragonguard.” 

“So, are you a swordfighter as well? And a mage? And a dragon? All at the same time?”

Zeron shrugged. “I have my hobbies.” He didn’t

They both stared silently at the expanse before them. Clouds drifted through the sky, but there were clear patches, enabling them to see some glimpses of the ground below. 

“I’m still having a hard time believing you are actually a dragon.” Callum said at last, voicing his thoughts.

“I can imagine.” 

“I have to ask though. Back in Katolis, at the castle? Was all that just an act?”

Zeron turned to look at Callum, who had an earnest look on his face. Zeron thought that this was important to him. “Partly, though mostly not. I like working with you, and I am honestly interested in learning more about the various arcanums. And it was also fun to let my more immature, awkward side surface again. You basically saw me as I was about 235 years ago.” 

Callums eyes widened. “You’re that old!?” 

Zeron grinned. “Older.”

“Wow…” Callum tried to imagine his life being that old. “So how old do dragons get?” 

“Depends on the species, and on their connection to magic.”

“You mean the arcanums?” 

“....yes, I suppose. The archdragons can easily reach fifteen-thousand years, the smaller ones I believe can reach up to eight-hundred years. I don’t think there’s a set age limit for when their body gives out however. It’s more that they die violent deaths due to infighting or outside forces. Take Avizandum for example. He was well over a thousand years old, just past his prime. He could have reached a second millennium I think, were it not for the terrible fate that had befallen him.” 

“Hmmm, that’s still so much older than humans get. I think most of us don’t live past eighty or ninety.” A strange, worrying thought suddenly struck Callum. “Zeron? How old do elves get?” 

“Again, depends on the species, and sometimes, on their connection to the arcanum. I believe most elves live at least one or two centuries, but a rare few elves are star-touched and can live for over a millenia.”

“Oh…” was all Callum could say. It was silent for a while as he contemplated what this meant for him, or, more specifically, possibly for _them_. “And...um…. Moonshadow elves?”

Zeron looked at him curiously. “Well, with good health, I think _Rayla_ will live close to two-hundred years, maybe a little more if she’s lucky.” 

Callums face fell. _Two centuries! Two hundred years! And… at least a hundred years without me!_ He felt dizzy and wobbled a bit. Zeron quickly reached out and steadied him. 

“Careful now. We are on the highest peak in all of Xadia, so don’t fall. Deep breaths.”

“Two-hundred years… Zeron, I-I… I won’t be around that long!” Callum looked up to him in panic.

“No… you probably won’t…” Zeron’s voice was not unkind as he said that. “Have you talked with her about this?” Callum shook his head. “Then you probably should. Though, you should also consider the importance of time.”

“What do you mean?” 

A sad look crossed Zeron’s face. “What is more important to you; the total amount of time you spend together, or the moments you had together?” 

“Uh… I mean…” 

“Don’t answer that. Not to me at least. But you should talk to Rayla.” He motioned for him to leave the plateau. “Go now. I figure she will be done with whatever business she was attending.” 

Callum, still trying to get a grip on all his thoughts, half-ran half stumbled towards the stairs and made his way down. Zeron watched him go, then turned around to watch the skies. The sun was going down, and it was growing darker. _Poor kid…_ he mused. _I’ve been there… I hope he’ll fare better than I did._

As it turns out, Rayla was still busy sorting things about between the nobles. Callum didn’t know what was going on, but she and two other dragonguard (Callum thought their names were Catlyn and Keryn) were still in the great hall and were separating two groups of nobles who by the looks of it had come to blows over one issue or another. The dragon king looked none too pleased. Rayla had seen Callum standing in the entrance and had shot him an apologetic look before focusing on the groups again. Things were tense, and she had to remain vigilant. 

With nothing else to do, Callum grabbed some food from a tray left in the hall and sat down in the corner. He grabbed his sketchbook and let his mind wander. He felt sad and depressed. He didn’t know how he could have a future together with Rayla if he couldn’t match her lifespan. His hand was already sketching, and before he knew it, he had sketched a picture of them together. However, Callum looked a fair bit older. He added wrinkles to his face and had given himself a stooped appearance. He had also drawn himself with a heavy beard. He was already growing a stubble, and had to remind himself to shave every other morning. Rayla however, looked like she always had. Young, beautifull, strong and fearsome, loving and kind. When he was done, his hand trembled a bit. Dark spots appeared on the sketch as a few tears had fallen down on the yellowed paper. He quickly rubbed his eyes with his hand. _I’m a mess._

He thought about going outside and fly for a bit. Flying was always fun. But he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to keep his focus on the spell. He was also afraid of the reaction he would get from his new teacher, should he see him. He resigned himself to just sit there, maybe sketch a bit more. 

Time passed. The sun had set. Callum had entertained himself with sketching the various people passing through the halls. He had seen one or two dragonguard, one group of nobles exiting the great hall, his new teacher (who threw him a dark look, which he ignored), and little Zym, who snuck out for only a moment before being called back by his mother. He had smiled as he saw the little dragon. _I miss the little guy._ They had some great adventures together, and Callum felt sad now that those were over. Zym was safe at home now, and Callum figured that his mother wouldn’t let him out of her sight until he had grown up a bit and could take care of himself a bit more. 

After what had seemed like hours, Rayla finally emerged from the great hall, together with the other two dragonguard and the rest of the nobles. Callum noted that the nobles were all escorted straight out of the spire by the two dragonguard, while Rayla made a beeline for him. 

“Gods, finally! I thought those bone-headed idiots would never shut up!” Rayla flopped down beside him and stretched. 

Callum gave her a careful smile. “All done for today?”

Rayla nodded. “Yeah, I delegated some of my responsibilities to Catlyn, so I get to spend the rest of the evening with you. After all, we never really have that much time together, do we?” She was joking as she said that, however Callum’s face immediately twisted into a grimace. Rayla noticed, and was concerned about his reaction. “Callum, what is it?”

Callum sighed deeply. “Rayla, we should talk.” He looked about. “Not here though. Can we… go to your room?” 

“Erm… sure!” she said with fake cheer. Inside, Callum’s behaviour worried her. _He wants to talk? About what?_

They made their way to Rayla’s quarters and closed the door behind them. “So…” Rayla started as she lit the luneflame.

“So…” Callum closed his eyes. _This is so hard!_ He tried to get his thoughts in order, but was shaken out of his thoughts by a hand on his shoulder. He looked in the violet eyes of Rayla.

“Callum…” She looked worried. _She should be,_ Callum thought as he tried to figure out what to say next. 

“Rayla, I know you think big feelings time is weird, but… I’ve been having some big feelings about the future, and… I’ve also had a talk with Zeron.”

“Zeron.” Rayla’s face seemed to freeze over when he mentioned his name.

“Yes, I know you don’t like him, but we talked about something that you and I haven’t considered yet and I really think we should talk about that now.” He took another deep breath. 

Rayla in the meantime was grasping at straws at what he was trying to get at. _What on earth is he worried about? Is this the intimacy thing again!? And why would he talk to Zeron about that!?_ Internally, she was getting pretty worked up, but she tried to be patient and listen to what Callum had to say. “Callum, just spit it out. We’re friends. We can talk about things, right?”

“Right, I mean, we’re a bit more than friends, though, aren’t we?” Callum said, a bit uncertain. 

Rayla laughed, secretly relieved at what he implied. “I should hope so. Don’t go thinking I just smoosh with every prince I meet.” She kissed him on the lifts softly. He let her, and she felt him relax a tiny bit. “Callum, what’s wrong?” She whispered this while placing her head against his, staring into his big, green eyes. 

Callum felt her breath on his lips as she said that. _Alright, big feelings time, just let it out._ “Rayla, I’m afraid I’m going to die.” 

“Wait, what?” Rayla broke the embrace and took a step backwards.

 _Well, that came out wrong!_ “I mean, not now! But someday. And I’ll probably die a lot sooner than you will. And… I don’t want to put you through that.”

Rayla stared at him. “THAT’S what you’re worried about!?”

Callum didn’t know how to interpret her reaction. He sat down on the bed and motioned for her to sit beside him. She did so, but hesitantly. “See, I’ve been thinking a bit. About the future I mean. For the last few months, we have been stuck together.” He saw her frown at him. “I liked it!” He added hastily. “I like being with you. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy…” He had been smiling as he said that, but his smile fled as he thought about what to say next. “But now that those adventures are done… what kind of future do we have? Do we really want this?”

Rayla was confused. “I… I thought you already had it figured out! You kept talking about me being your princess and all that…” 

“I was joking!” Callum groaned as he saw Rayla’s expression turn into one of hurt and disbelief. “I mean, yes, I want you as my princess, but I really didn’t give it any serious thought. We barely got to plan ahead last time we traveled. This is new to me!” 

Rayla now looked away. She had been harbouring some similar scary thoughts, though she hadn’t considered their different lifespan. But she had always pushed those thoughts away, figuring that they could just barrel through this. Now, she wasn’t so sure. She had hoped that Callum would be the confident one to reassure her, but now it turns out he was harbouring doubts as well. She thought about the difficulties they already had encountered, about their difference in race, and the fact that they could only be together for a few days before being separated again for months. She was angry too, that Callum seemed to want to give up so easily. “So what, ya get scolded at by a few elves and have one talk with that eejit of a dragon, and now ye’re dumpin’ me?”

Callum felt a stab of pain enter his chest. “What? No! That’s not what I was-” 

Rayla suddenly turned to him. Her eyes were angry, and brimming with tears. “A thought ya loved me! A thought ya cared for me!” 

“Rayla please!” Callum wanted to hug her, but he picked up on her need for personal space right now. So he just stared at those angry eyes. He wanted her to look at him lovingly again, but he didn’t want to hurt her, and he was afraid of what he would put her through if they continued like this. He searched his mind for the right words. “I just… I love you Rayla. More than anything.” He gave her a weak smile. “That’s why I jumped after you, remember?” 

Rayla’s mind went back immediately to that moment. She had tackled Viren, had sent him down tumbling. She knew how she had felt. A strange kind of peace that she had at least succeeded in her mission to protect the prince, but also regret, that the few weeks she had spent with Callum was all she was going to get. That she couldn’t hold him in her arms again. And she felt surprise, gratitude and sadness as she saw him falling towards her, glad that he was willing to go down with her, but sad because he still had so much to live for. _Why go down with me?_ She had thought. 

It dawned to her that this must be how Callum was feeling right now. He knew he would die before her, and didn’t want her to waste her life for him. She s“Oh Callum…” She sniffed and held out her arms. Callum embraced her and held her close. He felt his own tears flowing as well. She held onto him for a bit and only let go when she felt she had some control over her emotions again. “Is that what you are afraid of? That I will waste away without ya?”

“Yes… I mean… I’ll be gone for my studies for quite a bit… and even if our relationship survives that… what will happen then? You are stuck here, being the captain of the dragonguard, and I’m the prince of Katolis. I’ll probably have to live in the castle for the rest of my life.” He sighed. He regretted bringing this up, seeing how his words hurt her and their relationship, but at the same time he knew he had to say it, knowing that this was something that they never brought up but it would come into play sooner or later. “Rayla, please understand, I really want to be with you, more than anything!” He looked her in the eyes as he cupped her face with his hands. She let him, bringing her own hand up to touch his. She looked back into those sad, green eyes as he continued. “But I don’t want to hurt you either. Is it really such a good idea? The two of us together?”

She held his gaze for a moment before looking away again. His words hurt, the pain visible on her face. “A don’t know…” She stood up and started pacing. “Callum, A’ve never had a boyfriend before. A don’t know anything aboot bein’ together. Why are we even talkin’ aboot this? We’ve been only togetha for…” She made a quick count in her head. “Little more than a month?” She was amazed at that. _Was it really that short?_

Callum sniffled, and shrugged. “I dunno. I just hate hurting you Rayla. I don’t want to lead you on into something impossible.” He looked down at the floor and felt tears gathering in his eyes.

Rayla kneeled down in front of him and grasped his hand. “But doin’ the impossible is what we’re good at! Callum, A dunno what’s gonna happen in the future. But we nearly got killed in Duren! It seems silly to worry aboot somethin’ that’s so far off! And… and your studies, well, they only last a few years right?” She gave him a hopeful smile. “A can wait a few years. And after that, well, we can just see what fate has in store for us, ye ken?” 

Callum grinned, despite his tears. She looked so hopeful right now, even though her smile was so fragile. He also noticed something else. “You’re doing it again.” 

Rayla looked at him confused. “Doin’ wha?” 

“Your old accent. It’s back again.”

Rayla blushed. “Ye-yeah, you’re right. Sorry, I-” 

“Rayla, it’s fine. I told you, I like it.” 

Rayla smiled at that. She sighed and leaned into his chest. Callum held her and stroked her hair and, very carefully, her horns. Rayla giggled. “Ya like my horns?”

“Love em.” was the immediate reply. 

They were both silent for a while. Rayla was still waiting for a reply, but she was content to be held in Callum’s arms for the moment. Callum was mulling over what Rayla had said. _She is right._ He thought. _Why am I even thinking about all those problems?_ But deep down, he knew why. He felt that he truly loved this elf girl, and after what they had both been through, he didn’t think he would ever find anyone who could compare. _She is my future. I want her to be my future._ _But is it really possible?_

Callum slowly dislodged himself from the elf, who was still partway on the floor and had been leaning against him. “I want to show you something.” He grabbed his sketchbook and sat down beside Rayla on the ground, flipping through the pages until he came upon his sketches from this afternoon. Rayla looked at the sketch silently, tracing a finger along the lines carefully so she wouldn’t smudge them. She traced the beard Callum had on the picture, and traced the wrinkles in his face. 

“I’ll be lucky if you age this well.” She smiled at him. 

He smiled back, though there was a hint of sadness in his. “I hope so. But the point is-” 

“I know what the point is.” She sighed. She thought back of her conversation with queen Zubeia. _We dragons live a long time and generally we mate for life,_ the dragon had said to her. _So you have to be really careful about who you select as a mate._ It had never occurred to her this would apply to her as well. Still, as she looked back at the picture, she felt some hope. She saw something that she longed for. A future together.

“Callum…” Her voice was trembling a bit. She felt very fragile. “A know that our lifespan is different. But we’ve been through so much already! We are so lucky to be alive in the first place! And even though our lives have been dangerous, we had so many wonderful moments together!” 

As she said this, Callum had to think back at something Zeron said. _What is more important to you; the total amount of time you spend together, or the moments you had together?_ He now had an inkling of what Zeron meant by that. 

“Maybe you’re right.” Rayla looked up in surprise as he said this. “Maybe I’m overthinking this. Again, I really don’t want to hurt you, and I really want to be with you.” Rayla felt herself melting as he said that. After all the tension talking about this topic, this is what she needed to hear. Callum looked her in the eyes. “I love you Rayla. I really, really do.” 

“And I love you Callum, my sweet, dumb prince.” She kissed him and leaned against him. “Well get through this, somehow.”

Callum snorted. “Hey, that’s my line!” 

  
-/-/-/-

It was early morning when Callum and Rayla walked up the plateau of the Storm Spire. Thorum was already waiting for them. He watched them with a stern gaze, his eyes resting on their intertwined hands, but if he held any reservations about their apparent relationship status, he made no comment about it. 

“Well, you’re here. You’ve shown me your mage wings yesterday. Can I assume you know how to use them?”

Callum nodded. “I’ve used them quite a lot since I learned the spell.” 

Thorum raised one eyebrow. “And when was that?” 

“Oh, ehm… about… a month ago? A little more?”

Thorum’s eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. “A month!? You’ve been practicing this spell for only a month!? There is no way you know how to use them then!”

Callum looked offended. “Well, excuse me! I’ve only flown back to Katolis Capital and back! Only took me a couple of days…” 

Thorum started stuttering, then mumbled something incoherent. He was visibly upset by this information. Rayla looked worried that she had to leave Callum in the care of this ‘loony’, but there wasn’t anything to be done about it. 

Thorum took a few deep breaths, composing himself. “Right, well, we’ll fly low until I’m convinced of your abilities. Are you ready to go then?”

“Just a moment.” Callum said, and he turned to Rayla. “Well…” 

“Here we are, again…” Rayla finished for him. 

Callum gave her a small smile. “Yeah… though some day, in the future, I’ll be here to stay.” 

Rayla snickered. “What, I thought you said you would end up in a castle?”

Callum merely shrugged as Rayla pointed out his contradiction. “Perhaps. What I meant was; I’ll be staying with you then.” Now he smiled earnestly at her. She smiled back.

“Goodbye Callum. Goodluck with your studies.”

“Goodbye Rayla. I love you, and I’ll miss you.” 

They kissed and hugged for a bit. It lasted until they were interrupted by shouts coming from a few dragonguard who were watching them say goodbye. “Whooo! Go captain!”

Rayla felt her cheeks heat up at the unbashful shouting. “Ugh… Catlyn.” she groaned.

Callum shrugged, still holding her in his arms. “I’m not bothered by it. In fact, I’m proud to have you as my girlfriend.” 

Rayla now actually giggled and gave him a few quick kisses. She loved it when he played confident.

Thorum cleared his throat loudly. “Today, human! I want to leave today! As in, now! Not tomorrow, not in an hour, now!”

Callum sighed heavily. “Well, so long Rayla.”

Before he could turn away, Rayla grabbed him by the scarf and pressed a quick and aggressive kiss on his lips. “I love you. Don’t forget that.” There was passion in the kiss, but a bit of desperation as well. 

Callum swallowed. He stroked her cheek. “I-I won’t…” Then he turned away and stretched his arms. Both Thorum and Callum incanted the spell. Thorum still looked skeptical that this human could actually pull this off, but the mage wings appeared on Callums arms regardless and soon he soared through the sky, accompanying Thorum who employed the same spell.

Rayla watched them go for a bit, before a shiver returned her to the present. It was cold this morning. The sun didn’t have time yet to properly warm the Storm Spire. With heavy steps she moved away from the platform, doing her first steps into a future without Callum for a long time. 

-/-/-/-

“So our plan will be to persuade the dying king by healing him. Should this fail, we can still charm him.” Viren said to his daughter and the giant bug controlled by Aaravos. Both of them were paying rapt attention. This was an important meeting after all. 

“It’s curious that the people here seem to be so connected to such an… inadequate ruler.” Aaravos commented. In his flights back to Xadia to harvest ingredients, he had passed towns and cities. They were nothing special to look at. Indeed, most of the country was on the poorer side and seemed to rely more on local authority than on a single ruler. 

“With all his faults, king Ahling is still a kind man who will bestow gifts upon those who ask for it. But with us controlling him, we can turn him into an effective ruler.” Viren replied. He then turned to Claudia. “Daughter, the task of persuading the king rests on your shoulders.” 

Claudia blanched at the sudden attention and responsibility. “Me? Wouldn’t you rather go yourself?” 

Viren seemed hesitant to answer this. “I think… that this is a great opportunity to show how much you’ve grown, how far you’ve come.” 

Claudia smiled broadly. “Thanks dad! I won’t let you down! I’ll promise that I’ll show that king just how awesome our new cult is!” 

Viren groaned. “Stop calling it a cult…”

Aaravos’ form stepped forward, demanding their attention. “Well now, this is a good plan to consolidate our power here, but there are other things that will need to be done in the meantime. Viren, if you’re staying, why don’t you help me construct the new primal stone?”

“The Heart of a Dragon? I thought we needed more ingredients for that.” 

“We do. We need some rare ingredients, each connected to a specific animal from a specific primal source.We will need the claws of a banther, the birds of a skywise, the scales of of a lavalizard, a moonpeddle, the pearl made by an Everonian mussel, and a startouched rock. Then there are other things we need still, but I’ll save those for later.”

Claudia whistleded. “Some are easy to get, but most of these things are extremely rare! “

Viren however was suspicious. “Other things?” 

The bug tilted his head, and Viren had to imagine that Aaravos was smiling mysteriously, like he often did. “I’ll save the best for last.”

Viren narrowed his eyes, again feeling at a disadvantage against this ancient being. “Very well, I’ll stay and help.” 

Aaravos nodded. “Good. I can get the ingrediënts, but with these…” he gestured with his appendages, which ended in some sort of very small claws, “I can’t prepare them. That’s where you come in.” 

Viren nodded and grabbed the various maps and letters that were on the table. “I’ll get your travel bag sorted Claudia. Get some rest. You’ll leave first thing in the morning.” 

Claudia walked back towards her chamber (more like her part of the cave) to grab her things, when she noticed she was being followed through the halls by the bug creature. She frowned. _Gross! What does it want?_ She turned a corner to walk in a different direction, but the creature remained on her trail, though it didn’t speed up once it was clear Claudia knew it was being followed. This frustrated Claudia, who had never really experienced the creature one-on-one before. She trusted her dad’s judgement, but she hadn’t really made up her own mind yet. She increased her pace and before she knew it, she exited the cave and stood on a ridge overlooking the valley. It was night time, but the stars were casting their light down with abundance. It was then that she heard Aaravos speak.

“Beautiful isn’t it?” The creature said as it slowly moved forward.

Claudia was on guard. “What do you want Aaravos? Why are you following me?”

“To talk.” It said simply.

“Oh, uh, alright. Could you perhaps be a little less creepy though? You are freaking me out!” Claudia already had her hand in her component pouch behind her back, just in case the answer was no.

But the creature let out a chortle, which she imagined must be a laugh, and it stopped in it’s tracks, just a few feet away from Claudia. 

“Oh, I wish you could see my original form. They told me I was absolutely gorgeous.”

This change of topic was unexpected to Claudia, and she felt her own curiosity overtake her. “Well, you’re a bug now. What happened to your original form then?” 

“Oh, I’m still me. I’m simply controlling this bug across space and time to better aid you.” 

“Right, because you are trapped.” 

“Because I am trapped.” 

They stared at each other on the ridge, each measuring the other for their worth. It was Aaravos who broke the silence first. 

“Daughter of Viren, I have… a proposition for you.”

“Oh really? And what’s that?”

“You must have noticed that Viren has been less himself these last few weeks. He is so busy in his mind with the future of humanity and leading his flock of followers that he struggles to move forward with our actual mission.” 

Claudia said nothing, but inwardly, she had seen the same thing. His reluctance to do the things he discussed with Aaravos, and his hesitance in using dark magic, it all pointed to the fact that her dad had changed since falling from the Storm Spire. She was afraid that her resurrection spell might be responsible for it, but she did not want to discuss that spell with her father to find out if the spell was indeed responsible for his new characteristics. Her dad was a practical man, but she doubted that even he would disapprove of the things she’d done to get him back. So she had locked that moment of her life deep, deep within herself, and pushed it out of her mind. 

“Alright, yeah, dad has changed a little. But we all did. I lost my brother, and I lost my friends.”

“Yes, you did, but what if you could change that?”

Now Claudia was confused. “What?” 

Aaravos took a step forward. “What if I gave you the power to change the stars? To change your destiny? What if I gave you the power to rekindle the flame of friendship with those that fought against you?” 

Claudia thought of Callum and Ezran, though mostly about Callum. His boyish affactions had seemed cute before, but right before she betrayed him, she did feel her own feelings stirring inside her. The want for something more. She also thought about her brother who had abandoned her, and then turned against her. He was now ready and willing to kill their father. Claudia turned her head away in disgust from the memory. _No, Soren chose his path! He can choke on a glow toad for all I care. But Callum…._

“Well, there is a friend I would like back. He’s the prince of Katolis.” 

“Ah, you mean the boy who’s now the king?” 

“Huh, what? No, not Ezran! I mean Callum!” 

Aaravos searched his memory. “Hmm, I can’t say that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting this young man. What is he to you?”

Claudia smiled weekly, thinking of all the times they had spied on each other from afar during sparring sessions and in the library. “An old friend.” she lied. 

The creature showed its fangs in a horrible version of a smile. “Then let’s get him back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New one’s up! Took me some time to write this. The Rayllum sections are very easy to write, but I have to focus a lot more to keep track of what the other characters are up to. This story will also focus a lot more on Soren and Claudia, so I will have to take that in account as well. 
> 
> I’m overwhelmed by the positive responses the first chapter got! Thank you all so much! I hope that this chapter will not disappoint. These first two chapters set the stage for the rest of the ‘season’, and I’m excited to write them! 
> 
> A sidenote; it is possible the next update will be a little later than usual. The good news; I’m getting married in June. The bad news; not everything is going as smoothly as they should, and they will require some extra attention, which means less time to write. I hope for your understanding in this. 
> 
> As always, if you like, please let me know! Reviews always help to keep the motivation up! Cheers mates!


	4. Passage of Time

Ezran was staring out the window of his castle. The snow had finally melted. _We had a short winter,_ he mused. Six months had passed since the ball in Duren. In those six months, a tentative alliance had formed between Katolis, Duren and Xadia. Trade was now starting up in earnest. Especially Duren made it a point to trade as much food and supplies as they could with Xadia, both to better their standing and to make sure that they would always have enough food so they could prevent the shortage that happened all those years ago. Katolis was profiting as well. Though the need for food was less pressing, they did trade in other items, mostly of cultural significance. And now, after six months, they would receive an elven delegation. Ezran stared at the letter that had come to him by a strange, magical bird. The elves had called it a shadowhawk in the letter. 

Soren stood next to him, both watching the sun rise higher in the sky. Ever since Ezran became king and they both came back from that fateful day at the Storm Spire, he stood vigil over the young boy-king. _I’ve failed once,_ Soren reflected. _I will not fail again._ Soren thought about all the things he’d heard these last few months. Sure, things were all happy-clappy between the humans and the elves, but the threat of war was still out there. If not with the elves, then probably with the other kingdoms. After the incident in Duren, queen Aanya had ordered a thorough investigation. They had found that the mission had been ordered by his father. _So dad is alive,_ was Soren’s first thought. Then he thought about what that could mean for his sister. _Oh Claudia, what have you gotten yourself into?_

Soren pulled himself out of his memories, and eyed Ezran, who was still holding the letter, appearing in deep thought. “So, what are you gonna tell them?” 

Ezran looked up to Soren. He hadn’t really grown a lot in the last few months. He desperately hoped he would grow up and became big and strong like Soren, and like his father, king Harrow. Ezran knew he was already well-respected, but he figured that was because Opili corrected most of his decisions and made small adjustments to his policies to prevent any discontent from arising. To Ezran, growing up meant growing to fit the throne properly. He felt that he didn’t really take himself seriously so long as he was a little boy. 

“Ez… you gonna answer or what?”

Ezran grinned. Soren was never one to remember protocol. But it made him an excellent friend, in his opinion. “Sorry, I was lost in thought.”

“I saw that.” Soren grinned at the little boy. _So much going on inside his little head…_ He pointed at the letter. “Anything interesting? It isn’t from Callum, is it?”

Ezran shook his head. “No, it isn’t. It’s from king Aureum Umbra. He wants to send a delegation to Katolis Capital to strengthen our relations. “

“Oh! That’s good! Or bad?” _With that dragon king, it could really go either way,_ Soren thought. 

“I don’t know. Perhaps the dragon finally wants to be friends with the humans?”

Soren burst out laughing, but stopped himself as Ezran frowned at him. “Oh, sorry, you’re serious!”

“Of course I’m serious! So many people’s lives depend on this, on every moment we make contact with our former enemies!” Ezran sighed and stared out of the window again. “I’m hoping for the day that the dragon king will become our ally and trusted friends.”

Soren smiled. “And then everyone will have peace and all will be happy, am I right?”

But Ezran shook his head. “We have peace with Xadia because it’s the right thing to do. And because Callum and Rayla succeeded in delivering Zym to his mother. But the other human kingdoms, Bel Dar, Neolandia and Evenere, they’ve all retreated behind their borders.” Ezran walked from the window to a table which displayed various maps. He grabbed the one that showed the entire continent and put it on top. He gestured to Soren to come over.

“Here, Bel Dar and Evenere have to deal with constant uprisings. Evenere alone has had five different leaders in the last five months!”

“Wow! Why is it so difficult for them to stick with one?”

“They all seem to lose their heads. Literally.” 

“Yuck!” Soren unconsciously rubbed his own neck.

“Bel Dar has had a change of leadership as well, changing from a democracy to a geniocracy. They are led by a council of wise men, calling themselves the Council of Zaird. And because of our new stance towards dark magic, they refuse to have any dealings with us at all.”

“The Council of Zaird? That the name of their leader?” 

Ezran shook his head. “No, strangely enough. No one on their council is named Zaird, and I have got their names in the letter. Though, the name does ring a bell… I think that Viren talked about someone named like that once when he was teaching me?” He looked up at Soren questioningly, hoping he had answers, but Soren merely shrugged. 

“Beats me. My dad gave up teaching me a loooong time ago. I’m much better with a sword than with a pen anyway.”

Ezran snickered. “Yeah, I bet. Anyway,” and he gestured back to the maps. “Neolandia still has a king, technically, but he has been sick for so long now that the country is being torn apart by the different barrons who all want to take over.”

“Noedeloedlia? Isn’t that where we think my dad is?”

Ezran blinked at his weird pronunciation of the country's name, but decided not to comment on it. Commenting on every weird thing Soren did would probably make him extremely tired anyway. “Yeah, we know Viren’s there somewhere, and we got reports that the cult of the True Light is growing there, but that’s about it. We have no real reason to go after him now. He doesn’t threaten us directly.”

“You don’t think we need to go get dad? Or Claudia?” Soren kinda hoped that Ezran would have a plan to get Claudia back home, but again, Ezran shook his head.

“I think it’s too dangerous. We have zero relations with Bel Dar at the moment, and we can’t afford to risk another war by sending soldiers across the border. I wish I could just summon the pentargy and talk this all out, but for the moment, the pentargy is shattered to pieces.”

Soren tried to get a grasp on the complex political situation, but failed and frowned. “You do realize that this is all boring talky talky stuff to me right?”

Ezran gave him a weak smile. “Talking to others helps me think. Why do you think I talk so much?”

This made Soren laugh. “Okay, so sending large armies to get the bad guy is out. I get it. But what about sending just one uber stealthy strong soldier to go there and get a looksie?” He waggled his eyebrows as he said that, and Ezran had to laugh. 

“Really, and where would we find such a strong yet stealthy soldier?”

Soren struck a pose. “There is only one man in the entire kingdom strong enough yet quiet enough for such a mission…. Soren!” He said as he drew his sword and pointed it upwards.

Ezran was still laughing at the ridiculousness of it all, but as he was thinking, he found that he couldn’t really object to such a plan. Sure, Soren was a crownsguard and supposed to protect him with his life, but Ezran could understand that he wanted to see his father and sister again. _Who knows, perhaps he will succeed in getting them back to the side of the good guys!_ Ezran thought optimistically. _Well, maybe at least Claudia. She still seemed nice_. 

“Let me bring this up with Opili. I’ll give you my answer tomorrow.” Ezran said carefully, not willing to make rash decisions anymore.

“Wait, really?” Soren looked surprised at Ezran.

“Yeah! I mean, if you really want to…” 

“Nononono! I totally want to do this! I just didn’t expect you to have that much confidence in me!” Soren hastily added, trying to explain his surprise.”

“Soren, you have defended my father for years, and even though Viren manipulated you, in the end, you choose to defend me against your father as well. I believe in you, and I believe that you can make the right call. I don’t like your chances of trying to convince Viren to stop, but maybe you can stop Claudia.”

Soren smiled. “That’s what I was thinking.”

“Great! As I said, I’m gonna talk to Opili first. We would lose our finest crown guard for a while. But maybe it will be worth it!”

-/-/-/-

“Again.”

Catlyn and Kiyara were panting from exertion. Both had a determined look on their faces. Despite the tough bout, neither one had bested the other. Catlyn did a warcry and lunged at her opponent. Kiyara evaded her dagger deftly and swung her sword upward, but Catlyn blocked it with her shortsword. She moved in, trying to get close. So far, she hadn’t managed because Kiyaras swinging arks made it nearly impossible to get close. Kiyara had reach, and she used it quite magnificently. But Catlyn was relentless in her offensive, much to her credit. And with two blades to wield, this put Kiyara on the defensive. She hadn’t found an opening in her fight against the quick moonshadow elf. Right now she was just trying to survive this bout. 

Rayla was watching from the sidelines. It was midday. Boros and Pincaelo were out patrolling, and Keryn was sleeping. She should be asleep as well, but she wanted to watch the two spar first. She wasn’t really interested in their fighting skills though. It was more their interaction with each other that she was interested in. Catlyn and Kiyara struggled with each other, their dagger and sword locked and Kiyara keeping Catlyn’s other blade at bay by holding her wrist. Eventually they both gave up. Rayla was surprised as she noted that they gave each other a careful smile. 

“Well done Kiyara.” Catlyn said. 

The pale elf smiled back. “Thanks, you too.” She said softly.

Rayla had seen enough. This is what she wanted to see anyway. That they were all bonding, all on good terms with each other. Trust had begun to grow between them. Sometimes they would all stay up at night and talk about their lives, though Kiyara so far had been the most reluctant to talk. But seeing her smile at Catlyn gave her hope that she too would mellow and grow to be a part of the group. 

She gave them a nod and made her way back down the stairs, back to her quarters. She was still sleeping alone, though the other quarters were filled. In the past six months, there had been several applicants for the last three positions within the dragonguard. Two of them had been filled. A male sunfire elf called Orris who wielded a sunforged blade. He was about as old as Runaan had been, and was both skilled with a blade and very talkative. Rayla thought he was all talk and bravado and no real skill up until she and Bosor tested him. He was a match for both of them, though Rayla fought at a disadvantage without her blades, not wanting to get them destroyed by the sunforged blade.

The other elf was an older earthblood female named Gaia. She was a motherly figure, and though she wasn’t really a fighter with weapons, she was quite adept with earthblood magic. More importantly, she was a healer, and she had spent several years working as a medic in the Earthblood garrisons. Rayla liked her, even if she had a habit of patronizing others around them, seeing them all as children in need of guidance. She was glad that the ranks had been filled, though they had still one more spot to fill. She had hoped for a tidebound elf to make its appearance, but the tidebound tribes hadn’t sent anyone. _They haven’t even answered my letters! Scunners!_ Relations with the tidebound elves had always been tanious, the prime ocean archdragon being the only one able to keep the peace between them and the rest of Xadia. They were a strange lot, even by elven standards. 

She grabbed some dinner and, not feeling up for any company, took her bowl with her to her room. She plopped down on a chair and started rereading a letter from Callum she had gotten. There was a whole pile of them on the table. He had been true to his word, mostly. From the day he arrived at the temple., he had tried to send her a letter every single day! They were delivered once a week at the Storm Spire, mostly in bundles containing multiple letters. And most of them included sketches as well. At first, Rayla was delighted! She loved the attention she got from him through the letters. Callum was clumsy in his way with words. It clearly showed in his writing. But his clumsiness made her smile, and his sketches warmed her heart.There was a thing she noticed though. As the months wore on, his letters came more infrequently. Sometimes she would go for over a week without getting one. Once she did receive one, it would usually include an apology for his tardiness, claiming he was busy. However, he was never specified what he was working on. And that did make her wonder. 

Rayla knew she wasn’t the only female out there. She remembered when in Duren he had looked at a scarcely clothed woman and how that made her feel. She had tried to push those thoughts away to the corners of her mind, but some doubt remained. Six long months they had been apart, which was longer than how long they've been together. Questions popped in her mind. _Do I still love him? Are we still a thing?_ She put the spoon down, having lost her appetite for the fruit-and-berry porridge that was her evening meal today. She read the letter again, hoping to find...something. She wasn’t sure what she was looking for, but it was something that she felt before, and was now missing. 

_‘Hey Rayla,_

_How are you doing? Fine I hope? How are those newbies treating you? Things are hectic here. Thorus is still a hardhead, though he appreciates my work. I think so at least. He doesn’t yell at me that often. Mind you, he’s still grumpy, not wanting a ‘stinking human’ in his temple, but I think that after mastering so many spells in such a short time, he’s come to respect me a bit._

_The bullying has stopped, though mostly because I’ve shown them how powerful my fulminis is. I didn’t give them the full charge of course. Just enough of a bit for them to get the message. Nothing else happened last week. Still busy with my project. Oh, I’ve included a little sketch of a small pool up on the mountain. It’s a nice place. I go there often to think._

_So, anything new from your side?_

_Well, that’s all for now. Love you!_

_Callum_

Rayla pondered the letter. It was nice of him to write her so often, yet the letter felt… distant. Like it was hastily written, without much thought. She had no way of knowing if she was correct though. Rayla hoped that Callum would find time to visit her. She missed him dearly

A knock on her door interrupted her reveries. “Rayl- I mean, captain, can I come in?” 

Rayla went to the door and opened it. “Hey Cat.” 

Catlyn immediately saw by her slumped shoulders and sad smile that something was bothering her. “Hey, whats up?”

Rayla yawned and stretched. “Oh, you know, getting ready for the night.”

Catlyn looked at her flatly. “Yeah, sure. And now a real answer. How are you feeling Rayla?” 

Rayla cringed inwardly. _She can be so motherly at times...._ “Well… it’s kind of… personal.” “Oeh, I love personal stuff!” Catlyn pushed past her and flopped on her bed. Rayla regarded the elven woman for a moment. She was older than her, by at least double her age if Rayla guessed correctly. She never asked. However, by elven standards, that was still young. Physically, most elves were in the prime of their youth and health between twenty and sixty. After that, they would really start to age, but at a slower rate than humans did. She winced at that thought. _Great, yet another reminder about the complications of my relationship with Callum._ She glanced at the wall, now covered with his sketches, and noticed that she was featured less and less in them. _If we even have a relationship anymore._

“This is about Callum, isn’t it?” Rayla turned around swiftly and made ready to deny anything, but one look at Catlyn’s face told her that such an attempt would be futile. 

She hung her head and plopped down on the other side of the bed. “I don’t want to talk about it.” 

“Well, that’ s bad luck for you then, cause I do!”

Rayla threw her an annoyed look. “Since when did you become so bossy against your captain?” 

Catlyn just grinned. “What, you only noticed just now?” She scooted a little closer. “Girl, we’re moonshadow elves. We need to look out for each other. As my captain, I respect you. But as a fellow elf, I worry about you.” Catlyn became serious now, as she continued. “You’ve not been eating well, and you smile less often. Somethin’s eating at ya. Now out with it!” 

Rayla pressed her lips together. She felt she was at an emotional breaking point. But did she really dare to open her heart to this moonshadow elf? It’s true that she liked Catlyn as a person and fellow dragonguard, but talking about personal stuff wasn’t something that was normally encouraged among the other moonshadow elves in the Silvergrove. To tell Catlyn of all people went against her instincts. “Why do you wanna talk about my feelin’s? Am I not supposed to ‘ toughen up’?” Rayla said, mimicking the annoying voice in which Runaan had always repeated that particular mantra. 

Catlyn shrugged. “Call me a rebel. I do what I want. And I want to know what’s been eatin’ ya.”

“Well… yeah.... It’s about Callum?” Rayla expected another quip from Catlyn, some kind of joke to lighten the mood. She would hate it of course, but that’s how Catlyn was. To her surprise however, she did none of this. 

“What did he do Rayla?”

Rayla gestured at the wall. “He writes these wonderful letters, but… I dunno, I get them less often now, and they feel… distant? And these sketches… they are more about the scenery than they are about us. He used to sketch our future together. And now... “ She felt at a loss of words and gestured at the sketches containing mountains and valleys. Catlyn looked at them. They were really quite lovely. 

“How long until he’s done with his study?” 

Rayla looked at the floor dejectedly and crossed her arms. “That could take years… I don’t really know. I doubt he knows either.” 

“Wow… alright, so you have to wait years before you see him again?” Rayla didn’t like the look on Catlyn’s face when she said that. It spoke of doubt.

“Well, I’m not sure. Don’t they have breaks or holidays?. I’m hopin’ he will have the time to come visit me somewhere in between.”

“Rayla, come sit with me.” Catlyn patted the soft bed and Rayla obliged, sitting next to her. Catlyn scooted closer and put an arm around her. Rayla felt a bit uncomfortable by that, but at the same time she was in need of a hug, so she let her. 

“How long have you two been together?”

Rayla did a mental headcount. “I’d say… about seven months, not countin’ the month we were travelin’ together before that.” In truth, it was probably shorter by a few weeks, but Rayla liked to make it seem like they had been together for a long time. It made her feel more confident about her relationship.

“Right…, but he’s been gone for six months now, so you’ve only dated each other for a month?”

Rayla didn’t reply, but nodded weakly. _It doesn’t sound that long now that she says it like that._

“And you’ve only known him for about a month before that.” Again, Rayla gave a small nod. “Rayla, I say this with all the love and respect I can muster for you as my captain, but, are ya sure he’s the one?”

Rayla said nothing for a while, as she simply stared ahead in front of her. She closed her eyes as they began to tear up as a torrent of emotion was unleashed within her, bottled up feelings from the last few months. She thought of the moments they had when they were together. Memories flashed before her eyes. _Callum kissing her in the midnight desert…. Callum holding her hand when confronting Sol Regem... Callum holding her tenderly on the balcony in Duren..., Callum saving her from the leeches... Callum crying on her shoulder... Callum talking back at her defiantly at swordpoint…_ She opened her eyes all of a sudden. She had a feeling that she had discovered something important, something inside her. 

“Callum… yeah, he’s definitely the one. I-its just t-that we’ve been through so much together.” She hiccuped as tears streamed down her face. “Catlyn, it’s like our souls have been smashed together. Even though we’ve been apart for months now, A still can’t see my life without him.”

Catlyn said nothing, but rubbed her back as Rayla poured out everything she had been keeping to herself these past months. “He sends me these letters. Sometimes it’s hard for me to understand what he’s actually talkin’ about. He doesn’t really have a way with words, but he tries you know. He writes and he tries to keep in touch right? A’m sure that Callum still loves me. He has to! And A’ll kill the scunner if he doesn’t!”

Catlyn had to stifle her laughter. Rayla looked up at her, surprised, then annoyed and angry. “This funny to ya?” she said with a dangerous edge to her voice as she wiped away the tears on her face. 

Catlyn held up her hands in defense, still trying to hold back her laughter. “I’m sorry captain. You are so serious about your relationship with the human prince. To us it seems like you’ve been together forever. It’s adorable! Yet, you two got together very quickly after you’ve met. It’s just that back when I met my boyfriend, we were running in circles around each other for over half a year before we really got together, and even then it didn’t start as anything as serious as you two have got.”

“Wait, you have a boyfriend?” 

Catlyn nodded, a broad smile on her face. “That’s right! This elven girl is spoken for!”

Rayla raised her eyebrows. “You’re awfully proud of that.”

Catlyn shrugged. “Took a long time to convince him that I was the one. He lives a long way away though, so I hope he will come visit soon.”

Rayla smiled. “So that’s all the mail you’ve been getting.”

“I know how ya feel girl. Loving over a long distance sucks, but it can sweeten the relationship.”

Rayla’s eyes turned back to the letter on the table. “Do you think I’m overthinkin’ this?”

“Probably. But that’s normal. What would you want to know that he doesn’t write about?”

Rayla tapped the wood of the bed, thinking for a moment. “I guess when I get to see him again. And why his letters are getting short.”

Catlyn nodded. “Aye, those are the questions I would ask as well. Why not write him? Right now, now that this is on yer mind.” When Rayla looked at her questioningly, she gave her an encouraging smile. “It’ll be good for ya. Trust me.”

Rayla made up her mind and grabbed her quil, ink and a piece of parchment. She sat down at her desk and stared at the empty paper with determination in her eyes. She spent some time mulling over her words before putting them on paper. Catlyn kept a respectful distance as she was writing… most of the time. Rayla’s warning glances in her direction however told her that whatever was on that paper was still very much private. When Rayla was done, she rolled up the parchment and sealed it with the seal of the Storm Spire. 

“Right. I hope that this will clear the air between us.”

-/-/-/-

Exhausted from the day's events, Callum let himself fall into his bunk, or ‘nest’ as they called it. He thought of it as a bunk, but he could see why it would be called a nest. It was ovalshapped woven reed, with a pile of furs and in the middle to cushen his back. He had to admit it was cozy. The edge of his nest was high enough so that when he laid down he could only see the ceiling. He liked that. He felt disconnected from the rest of the world and it helped him relax. The rest of the room wasn’t much. It was circular and held four other nests, and a few wooden chests to keep their personal items in, though they couldn’t be locked. And Callum had learned to trust the other elves as far as he could throw them, which without using magic wasn’t far. He kept his most prized possession, his sketchbook, on him at all times, or beneath his furs when he was sleeping. 

Callum closed his eyes. Thoughts jumbled through his head. About school, about his classmates, about his magic powers… He thought back of the day he first arrived here. It had taken a day or two of flying straight north into unknown territory. His new teacher had been polite on the way to the temple, sharing his food with him and helping him build a shelter for the night from sticks and leaves. Callum imagined he was testing the waters as he was stuck traveling with him for the way to the temple. The next day, Callum saw the five towers that made up the Areo temple. They were grand, much taller than the twin towers of Katolis, and located in a valley in a windy mountainous region. The structure was an imposing sight, and Callum found it hard to accurately guess how tall they were. 

When they landed, several skywing elves came to greet them. They were all dressed in the similar dark-blue and green robes as Thorus was dressed in, just a lot less elaborate. Callum noted that most robes clinged to the body, going for a more streamlined appearance. He blushed as he saw various female elves who looked quite stunning in these robes. All the elves looked at him, most seeing a human for the first time in their lives. Callum found the experience thoroughly embarrassing. His teacher’s remarks didn’t help.

“Yes, we’re allowing filt- we’re allowing some particular unusual guests here nowadays. By order of the king.” He had said as he gave Callum the stink eye. “Make sure to treat him with all the hospitality we can muster boys.” Several of the boys grinned at Callum, but he couldn’t see any kindness in them. _Yup, I’m gonna feel right at home here…._ He said to himself, his internal voice laden with sarcasm. 

The next few days were like hell. He had to get up before sunrise, eat in a mess hall in one of the towers, then study and follow classes all day. Which in itself was great for Callum! He loved studying! No, the thing that made it awful was the complete social isolation he was in. No elf was willing to talk to him, not one. And Thorus made sure that everyone knew what kind of ‘stinking, filthy human’ he was. 

But, he was studying magic, and that’s what he wanted. He was put in a class with ten other skywing elves who appeared to be of similar age, and Thorus and various other teachers taught him about the sky arcanum. The lessons were alright, Callum supposed. Some lessons took place on top of the towers in the open sky, the meditation class took place in a nearby glade, and sometimes teachers would take the class out for a walk to make a point about the connection between the various arcanums. But the classes Callum was most familiar with would take place in a room in one of the towers, not unlike a room Opili used to teach him and Ezran back in the day. Each student would sit behind his desk and make notes as the teacher talked and sometimes gave examples. Runes would be drawn in the air for them to copy, and this was where Callum excelled. He made notes incredibly fast, and his runework was spot on. Some teachers actually showed their appreciation for his hard work and warmed up to him. Thorus however showed this by not belittling him all the time. 

Six long months passed this way, with Callum being avoided by most other skywing elves, his only real social contact being with the select teachers who did appreciate him. It was hard for Callum, but as time wore on, his magic prowess increased tremendously. Having an eidetic memory meant that he could master drawing any rune near-instantly. He had already mastered most of the simple sky arcanum spells, like a speed spell to let the wind help you fly or run faster, or a spell that would put up a windwall that would stop any incoming projectiles. Callum frowned as he thought about that particular lesson. They were using skirmishes with humans as an example of how to effectively employ magic, but the teachers would look at him awkwardly while talking about those. _Yup, it had been awkward._ Callum had approached those teachers with an air of understanding, and most were grateful for that. Right now, he had a working relationship with most teachers, and even if most students still distrust him, they respected his magic powers, especially after he had shown he wasn’t afraid to use them to defend himself. Callum had been afraid they would throw him out of the temple after he had zapped one of his bullies, but Thorus simply shrugged, saying; “He now has learned a valuable lesson, and so have you. That is what experience is all about.” He had left it at that.

He left out most of the bullying in his letters to Rayla. He didn’t want to worry her. Instead, he focussed on the awesome things, like the new spells he had mastered and the conversations he had with his teachers. He didn’t think of it as lying, more like… embellishing the truth. He figured he would tell her the rest when he would see her again, face to face. As his thoughts moved to Rayla, he also felt a familiar feeling creeping up to him. It was a feeling that had kept him company throughout his time at the Aero Temple; loneliness. He thought of his elven girlfriend, and how far away she was. _Does she miss me?_ He wondered. He was afraid of what the answer would be. He had written her letters, many, many letters! He included sketches of his daily life here as well. But her responses had been infrequent and short, and Callum wasn’t sure whether it was because she didn't have the time to write back, or because of something else. What that ‘something else’ could be, was something he didn’t want to dwell on at the moment, but it made it harder for him to write long love letters to her.

Callum groaned and pressed the palm of his hands in his eye sockets. _Even when I have some time off, I can’t seem to relax! What I wouldn’t give for just one day at the Bantherlodge!_ He remembered those carefree days with fondness, but pressed them from his mind just as quickly. He had just taken his time to remember the past six months, he didn’t want to add another emotional load by thinking of all the times before that!

He got op, stretched and decided he would read some elven tomes in the library. _They are always interesting! Well, most of the time. I swear, how some of the teachers manage to pick the most boring books to study is beyond me!_ As he was having his internal monologue, he didn’t quite register what was in front of him as he moved through the doorway, at least, not until he bumped into her with full force. 

“Oow!” 

Or someone.

“Aah, sorry!” Callum stammered and took a step backwards. In the opening stood a skywing elf girl. Her hair was long and white, as were her wings. She was wearing purple and blue clothes which hung loosely around her form. Her eyes were a startling blue, and she was rubbing a sore spot on her head as she was glaring daggers at Callum. He recognized her. _Aireli!? What is the new girl doing here!? In the boys tower of all places!?_ He vaguely remembered a couple of students coming here a month ago, and she was among them.

“Well, that's a hell of a way to meet someone huh?” She grinned despite the pain, her hand still rubbing the spot. She held out the other. “I’m Aireli.”

Callum, very hesitant, took her hand and shook it. “Callum.”

She snickered. “So I’ve heard. You’re that human prince the school is buzzing about right?”

“Erm… I mean….” 

“Well of course you are! It’s not like we are teaching any other humans.” She looked at him with excitement. “Is it true that you can use the sky arcanum?”

Callum crossed his arms. “Well, I wouldn’t be here if I couldn’t, right?”

“Fair enough. But they say that you are special. They say that you can master spells more quickly than anyone around here.”

Callums chest swelled with pride. “Well, you know, I study hard and all that, but yeah, I’m really good!” He gave her a goofy smile and hoped that it looked a lot more confident than he felt right now. 

Aireli grinned. “Great! You see, I’m studying some new magic and I want to create a new spell for a project, but I’m having trouble getting the runes right. I don’t care that you’re human. You are the best and I really need some help right now.” She looked at him and touched his crossed arms lightly. A shiver went down his spine. “Could you please help me? I know the others have been rather mean to you, but I’m not them and I really want to ace this project!”

He looked at those dazzling, blue eyes and that excited smile. She was the first friendly face he had seen in six months. How could he say no?

-/-/-/-

The sun had risen in Katolis. Ezran watched Soren speed out of the gates on his horse, starting his long journey to Neolandia. Opili had agreed, though reluctantly. However, right now they weren’t at war with any nation, there were no assasination threats so far as they knew, and if Soren succeeded, it would bring an end to all conflict on the continent together. Even though that chance was very slim, it was worth a try. But Ezran did have to promise to double the guard until Soren’s return. 

Ezran sighed, and moved back to the throne. He was going to do something now that he had been trying to train himself to do for the last few months. To consciously connect with Zym. He felt his connection with the dragon growing stronger, and he was able to communicate with Zym in some ways. It wasn’t very useful right now, as Zym was still very much the toddler version of a dragon, but Ezran had hope that this would be yet another bond that would strengthen the future of a union between Xadia and the human kingdoms.

He sat down, and closed his eyes. The throne room disappeared, and slowly a cave, lit by soft light coming from above and filled with green and flowers filled his vision.

“Zeron, you are leaving again? So soon?” the soft voice of queen Zubeia asked.

Zym looked at the dark dragon, who simply nodded. “It is not my place to stay here long. There is news of dark magic stirring in Del Bar. I should go there to see what is happening.”

“You know that you are no longer bound to the service of Xadia.” King Aureum Umbra noted. “I will not be granting you any extra favors for this.” 

The black dragon raised his head in the king’s direction, looking miffed. “Believe then that this is for my own interest as well. I should leave now. Besides,” he said as he got up, “the captain and I rub each other the wrong way.”

“Will you then at least give us an update on whether Del Bar actually uses dark magic?” the king insested. “If so, we should consider sniffing it out before it gains deep roots like in Neolandia.” 

“I will do what I think is right for the world, and all those who live within it, king Aureum!” Zeron snapped. “May I advise you not to be too hasty in starting another war? Two countries have sworn not to use dark magic through talks alone. Perhaps you should shift your focus to that, and change your perspective on how to influence this world.” And with that, the black dragon stomped out of the cavern. Zym watched the black dragon go, as he felt Ezran’s gaze was focussed on Zeron as well. Zym didn’t mind the human boy watching through his eyes. It felt funny, and it felt like a game to Zym, where he had to guess what Ezran was most interested in and would get his approval if he looked the right way or listened to the right things. He couldn’t see Ezran of course, but he could hear his voice. 

After a moment of silence, queen Zubeia spoke up. “He’s right you know?”

The mighty dragon king said nothing, but folded his dark blue wings over his face and grumbled. 

-/-/-/-

The sun had set at the Storm Spire, and all the dragonguard were gathered together on the plateau in front of the entrance. It was cold outside, being only early in spring, so they had put a few fire pits outside to keep them warm. Rayla had just finished her speech to them. She was proud of them and felt it was time to let them know that their progress was appreciated. The guards that joined them last year were now considered fully fledged members, and Orris and Gaia were well on their way through their trial period. Everything was going swimmingly. Well, almost anyway. 

Already, Rayla could spot several rivalries appearing between the members of the guard. Bosor and Catlyn didn’t really get along, Orris rubbed most of the members the wrong way because of his arrogance, and though Gaia’s healing massages were greatly appreciated, she could be so motherly and concerned about things that they now rarely brought up their issues with her. So, Rayla had put them all together tonight for a little bit of bonding. She had discussed this with the dragon king, and he had agreed to stay awake and remain vigilant for one night as the dragonguard did their thing in front of the entrance. 

“So...what do we do now?” Bosor asked, his question directed to no one in particular.

“We talk.” Keryn said. 

Catlyn responded to her brother with a sigh. “Great! Who first?” 

It remained silent for a while, the only sound being the fire consuming the wood in the firepits. Rayla made herself as obscure as she could, not wanting to put pressure on the guard. She wanted them to be able to talk freely, so she sat in a corner in the shadows. Gaia sat next to her, and gave her the occasional glance, but her large earthblood elf form dwarfed Rayla, so the others couldn’t see her very well.

“Alright, how about twenty questions?” Pincealo piped up. “That’s always a good game to get to know each other!” 

Several members of the guard groaned. “That’s a child's game!” Objected Orris. 

Pincealo pouted. “Well, you come up with something better then!”

Bosor’s deep voice replied “We could adjust the questions. Make them less childish.” 

Several members grunted in approval.

“Alright then! I’ll go first!” Pincealo said cheerfully. “Bosor, how many girls have you kissed?” 

Several members snorted at the sudden question. Catlyn nearly choked on her drink, and Bosor just looked at her in shock.

“Pincealo, you don’t start off with that kind of question!” Catlyn admonished the young skywing elf.

“What? It’s my game, it’s my question.” she said while pouting. 

Bosor just stared at her, his rugged face betraying no emotion other than the shock of her asking that question. Eventually though, he answered. “One.” 

Several of the dragonguard looked at Bosor curiously. 

“Ohw! Who did you kiss? Who was it?”

Bosor stammered to dodge the question, but Catlyn came to his rescue. “That's not how this works lassy. You get one question. Now it’s Bosor’s turn.” She nodded at Bosor. “What is your question?”

Bosor thought for a bit, getting his bearings in this new game. “What… is everyone’s favorite drink?”

Everyone had a quick reply to that one. “Lemon water!” “Veluws Deer.” “Morach’s draught.” 

Rayla laughed and answered; “Moonberry juice.” 

Everyone smiled, the ice having been broken. “Alright Rayla, how about you ask us a question?” Catlyn said, trying to involve the captain more in the group.

“Right! Erm….” She looked at the ragtag members of her guard. They came from all over the place, and looked nothing alike. Yet they were all the best of the best in their chosen skills. That gave her an idea for a question! “Right! Things you are most proud of!”

“Oeh oeh oeh! My archery skills!” Pinceallo piped up! 

“Cooking skills.” Gaia said as she sipped her tea.

The moonshadow twins looked at each other and grinned. “Our ability to hold down any booze we come across.” Multiple members snickered at that.

“My fighting prowess.” Bosor said honestly.

“The amount of humans I’ve killed.” Orris said with a wicked grin on his face.

This statement got everyone’s attention. Rayla was horrified, but as she looked around, she was shocked to find that the other members of the group didn’t have the same reaction.

“That's an awful thing to be proud of.”Gaia admonished him, but Orris just shrugged it off.

“They invade our lands, that’s what they get, and it’s nothing that those stinky filthy humans don’t deserve.” 

Catlyn saw the shocked look an Rayla’s face and sought to defuse the tension that was rising. “Alright, alright, let's quit while we’re ahead, shall we? Orris, I believe you’re next. What do you want to know?”

Orris’ grin didn’t subside as he asked his question. “How many humans have you all killed?”

It was silent for a while around the fire pit. No one really dared to speak. Pinceallo looked around anxiously, biting her nails, the twins looked at each other uncertainly, while Kiyara and Bosor just stared at the flames. It was Kiyara’s quiet voice who broke the silence first. 

“Fifty-six.” 

Rayla gasped as she heard the number. Keryn whistled. “Fifty-six!? Me and Catlyn never got past thirty!” Keryn didn’t notice the warning look he got from Catlyn as he said that. 

“Uh, oh… Well, humans don’t usually attack our holdings in the mountains, so I only got three or four with my bow.” Pinceallo said, feeling a bit embarrassed that her score was so low. 

Orris jumped up! “Hah! Then I beat you all! Since last summer, I have surpassed one hundred kills, with my total count coming up at one hundred and thirteen!”

Silence descends upon the group. No one knew quite how to respond to that. Orris looked displeased that no one cheered for him, but he was smart enough to read the mood of the group, so he kept his mouth shut. 

“Three hundred and eighty six.” Bosor said, while still staring in the flames. All eyes whipped to Bosor. This time Orris did move and stuck out his arm as a form of congratulations, but Bossor gave him a warning look that made him pause. “This is not something to be proud of! Each life lost is still a waste. I was simply doing what was necessary. Besides…” he said as he turned to look to Rayla. “I am sure that our captain here exceeds us all. She was a moonshadow assassin after all, and she was present here during the battle of the Storm Spire.” 

Now all eyes turned to Rayla, who looked around at all the faces of the people she could call her dragonguard. Some looked eager to hear her answer, others merely curious. Catlyn looked concerned though, as she was the only one to read her mood correctly.

“I-I….” She sighed. “None.” 

Several members of the dragonguard gasped. That was not the answer they had been expecting. “Excuse me!?” Orris immediately said.

“None! I haven’t killed a single one!” She stood up as she confronted the group “I know you look up to me as your leader, and I have fought plenty of five-fingered creatures, some four-fingered ones, but I was always able to get away without killing anyone.” 

“That’s impressive…” Catlyn said, fully understanding the implication. When you are on a mission, sometimes someone can get in your way. To have completed her mission without any kills meant she was a master at stealth and evasion in her eyes.

“That’s absurd!” Boros said, staring at her in disbelief.

“That’s bullshit!” Orris shouted, visibly disappointed. “How can you be captain if you can’t even kill our enemy!?” 

“Because they are not always our enemy!” Rayla said as she stood up to him. “Some are evil yes, but most aren’t. They are just….just like…. Us!” She gestured at the group around them, her frustration of the topic palpable. 

“And what about the dark mage?” Bosor asked her. “Didn’t you kill him by throwing the both of you off the spire?”

Rayla sighed. “It appears he survived that… though how is anyone’s guess.” 

“Well this is just grant!” Orris threw up his arms. “We’re being led by an infant! No kills, nothing to brag about… tell me, _captain”_ he said the word as sarcastically as possible, “What are you good at?” 

Rayla moved to Orris and stood right in front of him. She had to look up to him, but Orris backed away slightly nonetheless. She had a scowl on her face that promised nothing but impending doom for him.

“Keepin’ you in line.” She snarled. “Ye’r on graveyard duty for the next week.” 

“What!? But…!” 

“Now move, before A add the latrines to yer list.” Her eyes were menacing at this point. 

Orris stammered and looked around at the group for support. However, they all supported their captain. Dejected and frustrated, he walked away, kicking the dust as he went. 

Rayla watched him go, her back turned to the rest of the group. After a moment of silence, she spoke. “A’m gonna go get some sleep… goodnight….” She walked away briskly, into the spire.

Catlyn looked at her retreating form with worry. She got up to move after him, but when Keryn did the same, she pushed him down again. “Stay here brother, she needs a woman's touch.” 

As Catlyn entered the hall, she saw Rayla was already making her way to her room. “Rayla, wait up!”

Rayla halted as she heard Carlyn’s voice, but didn’t turn around at first. As Catlyn got near her, she turned her back fully towards her, facing the wall.

“Heya girl… how are ya doin’?” 

Rayla didn’t answer. Catlyn gently laid her hand on the young girl's shoulder and turned her around. Rayla had crossed her arms around her torso, her face streaked with tears. She looked frightened, hurt.

“Aw, Rayla girl, come now. That scunner has nothing worth cryin’ about.” Catlyn quickly looked around to see if no one was around to see her familiarity with the captain, then put her arms around the girl. Rayla was trying very hard to control her sobs. 

“Its-it’s not that.” she sniffled. “Orris is an ass, but A can handle ‘im.” She wiped away the tears and looked at Catlyn. The hurt on her face was palpable. “It’s just… A miss him so much, and now with all da work piling up, and da new members of our guard that need trainin’, A...A…” The tears streamed down her face again. 

As Catlyn comforted her, a voice came from the Great Hall where the dragons were resting. “Rayla, come here child…” 

Rayla was startled as she heard queen Zubeia’s voice. She looked at Catlyn, who was just as surprised as her. Quickly and quietly, they entered the great hall. As they entered, king Aureum Umbra was watching them carefully, being especially vigilant tonight. Queen Zubeia however looked at Rayla with worry. 

“Rayla, I haven’t seen you so distraught in months. What is the matter?”

Rayla breathed deeply, calming herself. Showing her emotions before the dragons wasn’t something she liked to do, even if she trusted queen Zubeia well enough. “A… A don’t know. Orris, the new recruit, said somethin’ dreadful and A just snapped and had to set ‘im straight.”

“He was also very disrespectful towards you captain.” Catlyn provided.

“Right, but somethin’ inside me snapped as well. A’ve been training the recruits non-stop, the administration has been piling up and...and Callum…!” She hickuped as the emotions threatened to get the better of her again. 

“Yes?” queen Zubeia gently motioned for her to continue.

“Callum… his letters are becomin’ more distant…. Or maybe A’m just readin’ into it too much… Gods, I feel like I’m goin’ crazy…”

King Aureum Umbra moved his attention to the captain, his eyes boring into her. “Are you still fit to lead captain?” His voice betrayed no emotion, but Rayla was afraid for his judgment. She decided to answer honestly.

“A...A don’t know… A feel like A need to catch me breath or somethin’.”

The queen nodded. “How about some time off for you then? Just take a week or two, catch that breath of yours.” she looked to the other dragon as she continued. “We do have enough of a guard to feel protected right now, I’d say.” 

The dragon king nodded. “Despite your own doubts, you are the most passionate captain I have seen in a long time. I would hate to lose you. While you are young, you have the promise for greatness…” He was silent for a moment. Rayla wondered if she should speak, but she really didn’t know what to say. 

“Very well then. Rayla of Xadia, I give you leave for 15 days. Use it wisely. We hope to see you again refreshed and healthy.”

“I hope this helps you Rayla. Just go somewhere that will make you feel better, away from the Storm Spire.”

Rayla had calmed down somewhat, but she was still not not feeling very relieved. “But where can I go? Callum is busy with his studies, and … I can’t go home, I think.”

“Why not?” queen Zubeia asked, surprised by the statement.

“Last time I was there, I found out they banished me!”

“Ah, because of your… failed mission?” The king held no judgement in his voice. Rayla was glad for it. She figured he was in a good mood today, for some reason. 

“Yes, they thought I’d ran away.”

“Hold on,” Catlyn said. “Wouldn’t they have lifted the spell now that you’re the captain of the dragonguard?” 

Rayla shrugged. “They might have, but I don’t know. The crime still stands you know, they thought I had abandoned my comrades.”

The king snorted. “Well that’s easily fixed. They will get an order to lift the spell tomorrow morning.” 

Rayla was startled. “Uhm…. thanks, I guess!” 

Queen Zubeia smiled. “You’re welcome. Now go to bed. You can leave first thing in the morning. 

Rayla and Catlyn exited the great hall. Catlyn patted her on the back. “See? Good things happen when you talk about your feelings.” 

Rayla cast a doubtful look at her comrade, who was now sporting a big grin on her face. “This time maybe. It feels scary to talk about stuff like that in front of the king. The queen is alright though.”

“Right.” Catlyn hugged her captain, who was surprised and did not expect this. “Go to bed Rayla.” she said as she let go. “Go to bed and then go home. Do what you need to do to get that head of yours back in order.” 

There was a mocking tone in Catlyn’s voice, and Rayla grinned despite her inner feelings. “Will do.” 

Catlyn turned around and walked back to the group, wondering what they were talking about now. She stopped when she heard her captains’ voice behind her.

“Oh, and Catlyn?”

“Yeah?” Catlyn looked back to where her captain stood. Rayla stood there alone and vulnerable in the dark hall of the spire. Yet, when she now looked at her, she did look better than before. More relieved, more at ease that things indeed might be alright.

Rayla smiled at Catlyn. “Thanks, for listenin’.” 

Catlyn answered with a grin. “You’re welcome!”

-/-/-/-

“So, I’ve asked my classmates to help me on this project, but there aren’t many here that study the same subject, and I really think that I-”

“What is your subject then Aireli?” Callum interrupted her. He made a point of saying her name, to practice it’s pronunciation. _Aireli, a funny name? Maybe an exotic name!_

“Oh, it’s about the runes that we draw for the sky magic. How they came to be, how we must draw them, that kind of thing.” 

“Alright! So how can I help you?”

Aireli gave him a small grin. “Well you’re impatient! I was coming to that! As I was saying-”

Callum shook his head. Apparently she liked to talk. Like, a lot. As they walked through the tower, they passed various rooms, some empty, some filled with furniture to work as a study or practice room, while others had elves present, being engrossed in one lesson or another. One of the things Callum noted is that this tower lacked any doors. Even his own room didn’t have one, which gave him very limited privacy. The only rooms that seemed to have any doors were the private rooms of the teachers, which also had a lock on them. Of course Callum wondered what was behind them. Of course Callum never had the nerve to find out.

Eventually, they came to a library section, and Aireli motioned for him to come over to a table, where a stack of papers were placed haphazardly in no distinguishable order. Aireli made a sound of indignance. “Oh no, they have rummaged through them again!” She rushed to the papers and looked to see if anything was missing. Eventually, she let a relieved sigh. “Thank the gods! Everything’s still there.” 

Callum moved over to where she stood and looked over her notes. They were indeed about magic runes, though Callum noted that the examples she had drawn were a bit on the shoddy side. “So, what’s your problem then?”

“Here, it’s these.” she said, pointing at the runes. “I can’t seem to get them right. Now I know the spell, so I can draw the runes well enough, but when I try to put them on paper, they look...well… off?” She cast him an apologetic look. “I’ve asked around for students who are good at runes, but this rumor keeps coming up about this new handsome human being especially gifted with them.” 

“I mean, I like to draw so,- wait. You think I’m handsome?” Callum felt himself blush a little. Only Rayla had ever said anything of the sort. To hear that from others felt...good.

Aireli giggled. “I didn’t say that, now did I?” 

“Oh! Uhm, err…” Callum’s face was getting redder by the minute. He looked away and scratched his head. “Sorry!”

*Hahah, it’s okay.” She put a hand on his shoulder, meaning to placate him. “If it helps, I do think you look rather dashing in that shirt. Most people opt for a sleeveless design. Where did you get it?”

“Oh this?” He gestured at the shirt he was currently wearing. It was made of a light blue fabric, and was quite warm and comfortable. The special feature it had though, was that the sleeves were wider and that they were buttoned up on the inside of the arm. It took Callum a long time creating this. In fact, he did the buttons, and the shirt he traded for some sketches he had made. The end result looked exotic, if not stylish. 

“I made it myself! Well, I had some help, but... “

She just gave him a smile. “I like it.” 

“T-thanks!” Callum just exclaimed, unsure how to react. _What does this girl want from me!?_

“Could you help me with those runes?’ She gestured at the ones in front of her. 

“Right, right.” Callum cleared his throat and moved to the page and studied the runes. “I… think I know what’s going on here.” He gestures at the runes. “These are runes of the sunfire arcanum, aren’t they?” 

“Well, yes?” 

“Right, but you’re drawing them using the sky arcanum style. See here? You make all the hooks of the rune jagged, just like they are with the sky arcanum. But the sun arcanum is a lot more swirly, and doesn’t end so abruptly.” He grabs his sketchbook and leaves through his sketches, eventually stopping at a page with various runes on them. 

“Ah, you’re right! Okay, can I borrow that book so I can study those runes?”

Callum immediately places a hand over the book protectively. “Eh, I’d rather not. But, I could draw you a few examples?” 

Her face sags somewhat as he doesn’t want to let go of the book, but brightens again at his compromise. “Great! Can I pick it up tomorrow morning?” 

“S-sure!” 

“Thanks!” She gave him a big hug. Callum, unsure of what the protocol was with skywing elves, gingerly hugged her back. He felt her soft body press against him, and his hands felt the soft feathers of her wings. Familiar feelings began to stir within him, however, with that came a tiny bit of guilt. _Wait, is this...wrong?_

The hug didn’t last long however, and Aireli lets go and moves to exit the room. Before she does so however, she turns around once more. “You know Callum, for a human, you’re not so bad.” And with that she is gone. 

Callum sighed and prepared for his next class. It was taught by his mentor, and while one of the more interesting ones, he also loathed Thorus’ teaching methods. All in all, he only really enjoyed half of those lessons, which, to be fair, was still more than how much he enjoyed Opili’s lessons back in the day.

As he entered the classroom, he found that the rest of the students were already there. Thorus gave him a chagrined look. “Callum, you’re late…” 

Callum frowned. “Sorry, sorry, something came up. You see, there was this student, and-”

“Don’t care. Have a seat.” 

Flabbergasted, Callum quickly took a seat and pulled out another notebook. This one he used for actual notes during the lessons, though of course he doodled in it when he was bored, though, surprisingly, that didn’t happen often.

“Today’s lesson will be about the social structure in Xadia. It is important for you to have a good understanding of this,as you all are destined to occupy the function of a mage for one of the houses, or possibly, the dragon king himself. Now, can someone tell me who the current sky arcanum mage is for the dragon king?”

A few elves raised their hands. Callum did as well, but hesitantly. 

“Yes, Astir?”

A young boy elf answered the question. “Isn’t it a mage called Ibs?”

“Ibis, you mean. And no, this is not correct.”

The students who still had their hand raised now looked confused, and slowly lowered their hands. Callum however didn’t. “Yes, Callum? You think you know better?” Several students snickered. Making fun of Callum was fun for everyone, and their teacher either joined in or actually instigated it. Callum tried not to care. Soren had teased him relentlessly and beat him up regularly during swordfighting. He knew how to handle things like that.

“I think you’re asking a trick question. There is currently no sky mage assigned to the dragon king, because…. Because he is not a storm dragon!” Callum exclaimed, the last part a sudden thought in his head that connected the dots.

Thorus frowned, more out of frustration that the human yet again proved to be the brightest of his students. “You are correct, as usual.” He said, mumbling the last part. “Can someone tell me then why Ibis is still the official mage of the royal dragon house then?”

When no one raised their hands, Callum carefully raised his, remembering a certain passage out of one of Rayla’s letters. “It’s because he was the official skywing mage for the previous king, and at the dragonmoot it was decided that the royal stormdragon house must continue. So king Aureum Umbra is only there temporary.”

“Very astute, Callum.” He turned to the rest of the class. “This connects well with today's teachings. Xadia has always been ruled by a royal dragon house, which has lasted for thousands of years. Through the milenia, the houses have changed, but there has always been a dragon to lead us and protect the xadian lands. The dragon king or queen presides at the dragonmoot. Now, who knows what a dragonmoot is?” 

More hands were raised, and though Callum knew the answer, he decided that he had said enough. Trying to outsmart his fellow students usually led to more bullying. 

“Yes, Warther.”

Another boy elf spoke. This one was a bit shorter, but was one of the few elves that had actual wings. The feathers were all in awkward potion though, and his hair stuck to his face. It was clear that personal hygiene wasn’t this elfs priority. “The dragonmoot is like this big meeting where all the dragons go to. There, they talk about stuff and make decisions.”

Thorus nodded. “Yes, you are basically right. The king or queen can call a dragonmoot, and there they discuss _topics of high importance_ , not _stuff,_ Wartner.” He said, looking admonishing at the boy. Wartner just shrugged. “There are six species of dragons, all connected to their own arcanum. Each species has a range of subspecies. The larger ones can become archdragons. Out of all the archdragons, one prime is chosen to represent the entire species. One important thing to note is that a prime can’t hold any other position within the Xadian social structure. So a dragon can’t be a prime and a king at the same time, neither can it be a commander or messenger.” 

Thorus continued his talk about the dragon social structure and how it connected to the rest of Xadia. The class listened. Some took notes. Callum did, but he found time to make a doodle of the dragon king as well, though he gave him a bit of a jester-like appearance. 

“Now, you lot will be assigned possibly to the royal house, but more likely to one of the elven houses or tribes. Who can think of any duties you would perform while being in such a position?”

“Perform magic?”

“Give advice.”

“Yeah, advice on magic stuff!”

“Clean the toilets.” Some students laughed at that, and Thorus frowned at the offending student.

“Protect the house against enemies!”

“Yeah! Kill humans!”

Callum’s head whipped around. It was Darlyox who said it. Callum grimaced as he saw the elf sneering at him. Darlyox had been on his case since day one.

“What? You offended Callum?” Darlyox was smiling. It wasn’t a happy smile. Callum gritted his teeth. Thorus coughed to get their attention.

“Are you quite done antagonizing our dear human friend, Darlyox?” Callum thought the way he said ‘human friend’ didn’t sound so friendly. 

“Sorry sir.” Darlyox said, but he was grinning and no one believed he was actually sorry. 

Thorus frowned again. “Right, moving on then. Yes, you do need to know how to fight, and that can include killing humans. It doesn’t have to though, it could be elves from rivaling houses.”

“Well let them come!” One of the students said. “I bet that with my fulminis and catena fulgur I can beat whatever humans or elves come my way!” Several students seemed to agree on that. Though Xadia was a magical place, the actual practice of magic was reserved for a select few, at least in these parts. 

Thorus frowned at his overconfident students. “Really? And I bet you’ve all had plenty of practice then? Tell me, has anyone of you killed someone yet with a spell?” His voice held an edge, and the entire class fell silent. None dared to look at him, but Callum specifically tried to make himself as small as possible. This of course made his behaviour all the more noticeable to his teacher.

“Callum? Have you had such an experience during your adventures? Why don’t you share them with your classmates?”

“Urm, well….” Callem started to stammer. “I mean, I don’t …. I don’t really know? During the battle at the Storm Spire, I had to, you know, make sure they wouldn’t get to the Dragon Prince. So I was standing on a cliff, and I-I blew a couple of soldiers off of it. Human soldiers!” He hastily added, as he was getting looks from the various elves. Though they all heard about the battle, some were still iffy on what side Callum had been, even if the king himself spoke for him. “So, I guess that… at least they must have gotten hurt pretty bad?”

Thorus was now intrigued by this. “Really? And tell me, how did you deal with the knowledge that you might have killed your fellow kin?” 

“I-I-I… I didn’t?” Callum came to the sudden realisation that he never really bothered to check what his part in the battle was, casualty wise. He was just glad to have saved Rayla.

“Hmm… interesting.” Thorus looked outside. A giant pillar that stood in the centre of the towers marked the time, and right now it was showing that this class was over. “Alright, class dismissed.” Everyone grabbed their book and pencil and moved to exit the room. “Oh, Callum? Why don’t you stay for a bit.”

“Urhm, alright?” Callum was getting nervous around Thorus. _What does he want with me?_

Thorus waited until the classroom was empty before he looked up from his notes and addressed Callum. “I wanted to talk about your progress.”

“....okay?” Inwardly, Callum groaned. _Here comes another complaint, I can feel it coming!_ He mentally braced himself for what would be another complaint about something extremely minor that for some reason was very important. 

“I think… that you are doing very well right now. Indeed, you have surpassed most senior students as far as spells are concerned, though your history and social knowledge is severely lacking.” 

Callum didn’t know what to say. For the first time in months, Thorus had actually said something nice about him! However, Thorus saw Callum’s look of wonder and quickly moved on. “Let me be clear; I do not like you. You are a human and are likely to betray our secrets and use them against us, but… I must confess that I find myself intrigued with your abilities. I would like to test them to their limits. Therefore, we will start to use these next few weeks to study some master-lever spells.” He grabbed a scroll from a bag and handed it to Callum. He grabbed it, and read the title at the top. It simply said ‘storm’. 

“Thanks…” Callum said, still in shock. To him, it felt like all his hard work was finally paying off!

“Don’t thank me yet. See if you can understand the spell first. And for the love of all that is holy, DO NOT TRY THIS IN OR NEAR THE SCHOOL!” Thorus yelled as he placed his palms on the desk. Callum backed away, having never seen his mentor having an outburst like that. 

“This is magic of the highest order and therefore extremely dangerous!”

“R-right! No problem!”

Thorus sighed and sat down. “We will start training next week. That is all, you may leave.” 

Callum moved to exit the room, but stopped and turned back to his mentor. He gulped as he asked his question. “Thorus? Since things are going well, is it possible that I leave the school for a couple of days?”

Thorus groaned and put his hands to his face. “Not this again.”

Callum soldiered on. “Sir, it’s just for a few days. I haven’t seen Rayla in months, and I-”

“NO!” Thorus gave Callum a stern and tired look. “You will NOT be treated any differently from other students. You come in a fledgeling, you leave a master, or you don’t leave at all. There are no exceptions to this rule.” 

“But-but sir…” Callum had tried to get his request through many times, sometimes trying to use his position as prince from a foreing country, other times trying to appeal to his emotional side, all to no avail.

“Since you are eager to leave, I suggest you hurry up and master the Sky Arcanum. You do that, then you may leave.” Thorus closed a book he wasn’t reading with such force that a loud snap could be heard through the room. It underlined that this was final and not up for discussion. Callum sighed and went back to his room. But within him, his determination burned like a roaring fire. _This is what I’ll do then. I’ll master the sky arcanum, and then, I will be with Rayla!_

-/-/-/-

The servant frowned at the hooded figure. It was wearing a grey cloak and hood, but beneath that he could spot black clothing. Judging from what he saw from the face, it was definitely a woman.

“Well?” 

The servant hesitated. He had heard of the True Light, spreading in the more remote regions of Neolandia, but they had never entered the capital yet. And now this woman was here, saying she had the power to heal the king, to make him see the light! It all sounded rather dubious really…

“I’m afraid the king is...indisposed.”

“Indisposed!?” Claudia threw off her hood. It was hot in Neolandia, and though she wanted to be as inconspicuous as possible, it was hot out here and she was getting tired of this cult outfit. “He’s been lying in his best for the better part of a year now!” 

“His majesty is resting…” 

“Resting my butt! Look, I can heal him!” Claudia gave the servant her best pleading look, but he remained stoick. 

“No visitors, no audiences. You want something, go to the local baron.” The servant moved to close the door of the palace.

“Wait, hold up! I’ve got something that might change your mind.” 

The servant hesitated. If she offered a bribe, it better be a hefty one. He still wanted to build a house on the coastline someday. He mentally shrugged and opened the door somewhat, still trying to look as stern as possible with the hope of increasing the bribe. But instead of a bag of gold, this woman was holding a feather. It looked ordinary, until it started to glow.

“You will lead me to your king.” the woman said.

“Of course! Follow me!” Why wouldn’t he? It was absolutely the most logical thing to do. 

The servant led Claudia through the halls of the palace. Deeper and deeper they went. The guards gave her funny looks, but as she was being escorted by someone from the palace household, no one dared to stop them. Eventually they entered the king's bedroom. It was dark, the curtains were drawn. Upon the bed lay a large form, silent except for the heavy breathing.

Claudia moved closer. Her father and Aaravos had instructed her on how to heal this king's wounds. Her dad in particular had been very specific, almost as if he knew exactly what caused the wounds… She wrote it off as her dad being brilliant like always. Instead of dwelling on that, she got to work, the servant standing idly by, totally content with the situation. 

“Krad eht of sdnuow eseht leah!” Her eyes began to glow, and blue-and-purple streams of energy emanated from her hands. They rocketed in the body, which began to spasm. 

The sound of crackling energy was deafening. Several guards stormed into the bedroom to see what was going on, but the servant placated them. “Nothing to see here! She’s just healing our king!” The guards looked unsure of what to do, and kept a wary eye on Claudia, as she performed her magic. 

When she was done, the light of her magic disappeared. Everything was stil, and all the people in the room held their breaths. Suddenly, the figure in the bed started coughing. 

“Whe- cough cough- where… is…. my son?”

Claudia rushed forward and created some light with her hand. On the bed lay the king. His face still pale, but he was conscious. “Greetings, my king. I am an emissary of the True Light, and I-” 

“My son! Where is he?”

Claudia looked in the eyes of the king. He looked panicked. “Well, funny story that actually!” she said with awkwardness in her voice, trying to find a way of how to bring the king the terrible news of prince Kasef’s demise.

“Your son went to war with Xadia. He…. died. Prince Kasef is dead.” Claudia cast her eyes downwards. 

The king looked at her. For a second, it seemed like he had frozen and become a statue. But then he started sobbing, and his sobs turned into wailing. The servant rushed forward to attend to his king, but at the motion of Claudia’s hand, he stopped and remained at the side, the guards following his example. Claudia grasped the old king’s hand and patted it. Eventually, he calmed down.

Claudia licked her lips, unsure how to proceed. “My king, Neolandia...is in trouble. We need your help. We need you to unite the people against our common enemy.”

The king didn’t seem to listen to her, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

“We need to put up a united front against Xadia. We of the True Light can help with that.”

“I don’t want another war. I want my son…”

“Your majesty… he’s gone, but the country-”

“I WANT MY SON!” THe king screamed, thrashing about and pushing Claudia away. She frowned. This wasn’t at all like she wanted it to go. Moreover, she didn’t want to spend ages trying to placate the king and help him over his grief. Dark magic was all about taking shortcuts, and she decided now was the time to use one yet again.

“My king, I think I have something for you that will take your mind off of that…” She took another feather out of her pouch and as she cast her spell, she started telling her the True Light’s vision for the country.

The king stared at the glowing feather and listened to her sweet, magic laden voice. He calmed instantly. “Yes, that seems entirely reasonable.”

-/-/-/-

“Hear ye, hear ye! The king is awake again! His majesty is alive and well, and will resume his rule of Neolandia!” The crowd gasped and cheered at the news of the town crier. She motioned for silence, as she had more to tell. “The king now proclaims that the True Light has helped him recover. His majesty speaks highly of their virtues, and urges every true citizen of Neolandia to visit them and possibly join them!” More mumbling in the crowd now. Most citizens nodded approvingly.

Viren smiled. _Of course these people would approve. This town was close to their camp. Most of them were members of the True light already,_ he figured.

The town crier continued with several more announcements. Most notably, all barons were required to go to the capital to renew their pledge of allegiance to the king, and conscription was reïntroduced, though people could elect to avoid joining the army by doing community service and working for the True Light instead. 

Viren smiled. _It’s just perfect! Give the people a better alternative, and now they will flock to us! Claudia has done well…_

He had heard enough, and made his way back to the camp and the caves.. They were almost deserted now, as he had urged them all to go to town and hear what the big news was all about. One who had remained however, was Aaravos, who’s giant bug form still lurked in the shadows. 

“You seem in high spirits Viren. I suppose you’ve heard good news then?” 

Viren nodded as the voice from the shadows addressed him. “The plan worked. Neolandia is effectively now under our control.”

“That is good to hear. This will give us the resources we need to move on to the next phase of our plan.”

Viren frowned. For the past six months he had worked diligently on preparing the various ingredients as Aaravos brought them to him. They already had the claws of a banther, the birds of a skywise (which turned out to be just a couple of eggs you could get on any market, most disappointing), the scales of a lavalizard and a moonpeddle. What they still needed though, was the pearl made by an Everonian mussel and a startouched rock. The pearl proved hard to come by as the sea wasn’t accessible to Aaravos’ form, and the tidebound elves were an odd bunch, often at war with the other tribes. That meant they rarely traded, making it difficult to acquire the pearl indirectly. _Looks like we have another expedition ahead of ourselves…._ The startouched rock had to be a piece of a meteor, but one that had recently fallen. When prompted about this, Aaravos said that this was ‘something that the heavens will provide, in due time.’ A most annoying answer, but this was all Viren had to work with. There was something that had been bugging Viren though as they discussed their plans. He had months and months to reflect on the past events, and he noticed that the current plans seemed to diverge heavily from their first one. 

“Our plan to create the Heart of the Dragon is coming along nicely, sure. But what happened to ‘lets-absorb-the-baby-dragon’ ? Why isn’t that part of your plan anymore?”

The large purple-pink moth-like form of Aaravos appeared before him. His wings had restored themselves, the damage of the fight against the emperor reigar now completely healed.

“That plan is no longer feasible.” 

Viren raised an eyebrow. _Cryptic as always._ “Care to explain?” 

The creature took a moment to look Viren over before he answered. “Back then, the baby dragon was scarcely guarded and quite an easy prey. We stood a chance of removing the oppression of the dragons in one fell swoop. Had we succeeded, you would have been the most powerful creature on this continent, possibly this planet, and Xadia would have been in turmoil, having lost their royal lineage. It would have been ripe for conquest.” The creature looked about, staring into the caves, though Viren thought he was probably caught up in some memory or another. 

“Now however, the queen has awakened, and they are guarded over by a renewed elite force and a new dragon king. We still lack the power to confront him directly. So, in lue of that, we must acquire power elsewhere. This primal stone, this Heart of a Dragon, is the next best thing.”

Viren suspected something though. “I believe you when you say we need power. But this is all very specific, isn’t it? Isn’t there another reason we need this prima stone?”

The creature was silent for a long time, before it finally answered. “All in due time Viren.” His voice sounded strained.

Viren said nothing, but walked away. The creature called after him. “What about you Viren? Ever since your death, you haven’t been yourself. You haven’t even used dark magic at all. At most, you’ve cast a sun arcanum spell to slay the emperor reigar. Are you having doubts about the path you walk on?”

Viren stopped, but didn’t turn around. “I’m merely… reflecting on the nature of dark magic.” He said. “I’m sure I will reach a conclusion that satisfies me…. In due time.” As he said that last part, he gave a challenging look to the bug creature behind him, before disappearing in the shadows, leaving Aaravos alone to ponder his answer. 

-/-/-/-

Rayla felt her heart pounded in her throat as she entered the woods that held the Silvergrove. She had wasted no time getting here. With the blessing of the dragon king and queen, she had asked another dragon to ferry her across the midnight desert. It had only taken her a day to get from the Storm Spire all the way over here. She was nervous though. _What if the king’s message hasn’t reached the grove yet? What if I’m still a ghost?_

She walked through the woods as silently and gracefully as only a moonshadow elf assassin could, both out of habit and in case another elf was watching. It was a matter of pride to her. Rayla hadn’t lost her touch. She had kept up her training with the others, and in the case of an attack, she, Catlyn and Keryn would move in the shadows to try and gang up on the would-be attackers. They had practiced this scenario many times, and she was glad that this kept her skills honed. 

Eventually, she reached the large tree root sticking upwards that was the official ‘door’ to the Silvergrove. All she had to do was turn the key. Rayla took off the satchel she was carying and placed it gingerly at the side. It contained some rations and all of Callum’s letters and Sketches. She didn’t really have anything else in the way of personal belongings. Thinking of the letters stung her a bit though. _I hope he replies to my letter soon…_

The wind blew softly through the trees as Rayla stepped on the center spot of the root. She raised her arms and started the dance. As she went through the motions, thoughts entered her mind. _Will Ethari be there? Will anyone else greet me? Will they be glad to see me? Will I be accepted again?_

She tried to focus on the dance and pushed all feelings of nervousness and doubt to the edge, but it was hard. Her nervousness increased as the magic took hold and spread outwards. She saw the bright yellow and green colors of the forest be replaced with a dim blue shade. _There, the buildings are back! That’s my school! And my house!_

Time seemed to slow down as the illusion dropped and the Silvergrove showed itself to her. Then, all of a sudden, it’s elves appeared in front of her. A large crowd of elves stood around her on the tree root as she slowed down to a halt, the dance complete. She looked around in shock. 

_They're all here! Alisha, Emesir, Una, Oxian...Ethari!_

Ethari was standing in the crowd and stepped forward, his eyes filled with tears of joy. He didn’t say anything, but held his arms out towards her. Rayla rushed towards him and embraced him as Ethari held her tightly in his arms. The other elves clapped and cheered as Ethari’s soft voice made its way to her ears.

“Welcome home Rayla, welcome home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright… Well… yeah. Lets talk, shall we? Just so you know what's up. 
> 
> Concerning the story: This chapter was very difficult for me to write. I hate time-skips. There is so much that can happen in between, it’s difficult to establish just how the characters have grown and what is important. There are also so many lost opportunities for great scenes, like all the letters Rayla and Callum wrote between them, or the various adventures of Viren and Claudia spreading the True Light in the various villages. But the thing is, I’m working towards a certain end-goal here, and the characters need to have had the time to grow sufficiently before that. I’ve tried my best to compress the story in what could realistically be portrayed as one Dragon Prince episode. I do this to keep the story in motion and not make it drag on forever, but also because if I don’t, I will lose sight of that end-goal and probably lose motivation long before I’ve finished. So, yeah, you decide what you think of that. These are just my two-cents on skipping time like that. 
> 
> Concerning the late update: Well, we all know what happened. The world went to shit, and in my case, that’s no exception. There are so many problems and changes within my life right now (all our lives, probably). The biggest one though is our wedding. Right now we don’t know if we can go through with it at all! The expectation is that the corona virus will still be around in a dangerous way in June, when we were supposed to get married. My dad and grandma are both part of the high-risk group. It wouldn’t make sense to have a wedding during a pandemic that could very likely kill them. However, we can’t cancel the wedding either, because we’re under contract, and if the government doesn’t forbid it, the location will hold us to that contract. Canceling would cost us dearly, and delay our wedding by another year, possibly two.   
> So yeah, we’re really living in a time of uncertainty. 
> 
> I would like to thank you though. Your reviews are what keeps me going, even though it was hard to write in these past few weeks. Slowly but surely I’ve been able to get back in writing mode. Some of you have messaged me asking me if I’m alright, so thanks a lot for your concern! And that goes both ways. I hope that all of you and your friends and family are doing alright in these troubling times, and, in the likely case that you aren’t , I hope that you will get well soon and that you all may recover! I hope and pray for that every day. A special thanks goes out to Wyta, whose therapeutic writing sessions have helped me restart the engine on this project. The result is what you see here today. 
> 
> I will not make any promises on when the next chapter will be released, but I have already started working on it. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens next. As always, let me know your thoughts! I love hearing from you all! Cheers!


	5. A Storm is Brewing

As the days wore on, Callum’s studies intensified with the addition of his new assignment. He took his study very seriously, as the end of the week was approaching and he really wanted to get this storm spell right. Thorus wasn’t kidding however. As he studied the spell, he found that it held the power to create an extremely destructive storm for miles around him, with him being the centrepoint. As he understood it, the storm would last as long as he focussed on it. If he lost his focus, at best, the storm would simply dissipate. The worst case scenario is that the storm would pick up on it’s own. Though there were spells to stop a storm, Callum hadn’t learned those yet and he really wanted to ask whether it wasn’t a good idea to learn those first. Then again, he figured Thorus would know those spells. _Perhaps I should trust my mentor more in his methods of teaching_ , he mused. _After all, he did trust me enough with this awesome new spell!_

One other thing that complicated his studies however was that he found himself spending more and more time in between classes with Aireli. She was kind, funny and smiled a lot at him. Callum was glad that he finally seemed to be making friends, even if other elves gave them weird looks. Right now, they were in the library again, where Callum was studying about the underlying theory behind the sky arcanum, while Aireli was sitting next to him trying to finish her project. 

“Ah, it’s no good! I’ll never get this down!” 

Callum snickered. “Give it time! You need some practice, that’s all.” 

Aireli turned to face Callum and pouted, her long, white hair flowing with the movement. “Can’t you do it? It would be perfect if you did it!” 

Callum didn’t look from his work, but snickered. “Yeah, it would, and everybody would know I helped you.” He turned to look at her. “I can give you pointers again, if you want to?” Callum found that he was eager to help his newfound friend. She was fun to hang out with, if a little clingy at times.

Aireli just shrugged, puffed and let herself fall back into her chair, looking at the ceiling. “Naa, you’re right. I suppose I should just try harder….” 

It’s silent in the library for a while. Callum continued his studies, making notes, while Aireli is trying to focus, but kept distracting herself by looking at Callum, who eventually notices her doing that.

“What? Do I have something on my face?” He asked, blushing.

“What do you think of stargazing?” She replied, completely ignoring his question.

“Oh, ehm… it’s alright I suppose? I have done that many times because I was traveling with Rayla you see, and-”

Aireli stops him by putting her hand on his arm. She looks at him with a smile on her face. Her voice so soft as she speaks to him. “Do you wanna go stargaze with me tonight?” 

Callum contemplates the pros and cons of missing valuable study time. _Stargaze? But I have to study! Oh well, I suppose friends are friends because you hang out with them._ “Uhm, sure!” He tried to hide the hesitance in his voice. Something about this didn’t feel right, but he couldn’t say what it was.

The skywing elf smiles at him, her wings flapping excitedly. “Great! I’m gonna put away my notes then. See ya tonight!” And with that, she briefly hugged him and skipped out of the room.

Callum watched her go, happy for the attention he got, but confused all the same. Still, Callum being Callum, he just shrugged it off as not being used to having friends and continued his work.

-/-/-/-

The sun shone down on the Silvergrove in the early morning, though the trees filtered most of the light, causing the Silvergrove to sit in an everlasting shade. It would prove to be a beautiful day, and Rayla was up early as ever, ready to get started.

“No, don’t worry! I’ll get the plates!” She said as she deftly moved through Ethari’s abode and set the table for breakfast. She was in high spirits, glad to be in a place so familiar to her, so close to her heart. Ethari just laughed and let her do her thing, glad to have his ray of sunshine back into his life and his house. Rayla moved about with a spring in her step, happiness radiating from her form. After all her hard work at the Storm Spire and missing Callum for months, coming to the Silvergrove was exactly what she needed. It felt like coming home. 

She and Ethari had talked deep into the night. She told him of what happened during and after the battle, the sudden promotion to captain of the dragonguard and the responsibilities that came with it. She told him of her new crew and of their shenanigans. 

Ethari laughed heartily to her stories and asked a lot of questions. “That’s amazing Rayla! It’s good to hear you’ve got _some_ friends at the Storm Spire.”

Rayla smiled and took a sip of her tea. “Yes, I’m lucky to have em. Even if some of them are still stuck-up about humans. I’m tryin’ to clobber some sense in them though.” 

This made Ethari laugh yet again. “Alright, alright. Speaking of which, what happened to your human friend?”

A blush crept up Rayla’s face as he mentioned Callum, a subject of conversation she had so far purposely avoided. “H-human friend?”

Ethari tilted his head and did Callum’s earthblood elf impression. “Trees to meet ya?”

“Oh, him! Haha!” She laughed awkwardly. “Oh, he’s, you know, around.” 

“Around? Around where? The Storm Spire? Or do you mean back to his home in the human lands?” 

“Ah, neither actually. Turns out he’s a real talented mage! He’s connected to the sky arcanum, so in exchange for a mission we did in Duren Callum got to go to the Aero Temple to study.” 

“Really? And how is he doing?” 

“Oh, he’s doin’ fine, he writes to me often and-” Suddenly realizing what she just said, she looked at Ethari, who simply looked back with a knowing smile on his face. 

“He writes you eh?” 

Now beat-red, Rayla gave Ethari a shove. “You bloat-toad! You set me up for that!” 

This just provoked more laughter from Ethari. “Maybe a little. But I already had my suspicions when I saw the two of you together. Of course, additional rumours of a human-elf couple at the ball in Duren only confirmed those.”

Rayla’s rosy complexion quickly turned pale. “So you’re tellin’ me that most of Xadia is now aware of us being together?” 

“I don’t think they know it’s you specifically. Probably just the people who know you were personally involved in all that.”

She groaned. “Ugh, alright, but still…”

“So, do you love the boy?”

Rayla didn’t quite dare to look at Ethari. Confessing that she loved a human boy in her home village where she was trained to kill humans seemed just plain wrong. “I-I-I mean… I guess?” 

Ethari snorted. “You ‘guess’? That doesn’t sound very convincing to me!”

“No-no! I mean, I do! I mean-” She glanced at Ethari, who did no attempt to hide his amusement at her flustered state. “Wait, you’re okay with it?” 

“Rayla, of course I’m okay with it! I’ve got nothing against humans in the first place. That would be Runaan’s department.” He sighed heavily at the mention of his departed husband. “Ah, what I wouldn’t give to see how he would take the news.” 

Rayla smiled sadly. “Yeah, I know what you mean. Don’t get me wrong, I miss him, but I’m glad I don’t have to have this conversation with him. He’d kill me, chop me up, then kill me again!” 

“Probably....”

Their conversation fell silent for a while. It was not uncomfortable though. They were both reminiscing of the past in their own way, and though there was a hint of sadness because of who they missed, there was happiness as well. They both felt like their family was back together again, at least partly. 

At last, Ethari got up. “I’m going to go to the market today, so I will be gone for an hour or so. Can you keep yourself busy?”

“Pffft, sure. Don’t worry, I’ll just take a stroll around town, see who still like me.” 

“That would be most. Sure, the village was skeptical at first when I told them your story, but now that it’s confirmed by the dragon king himself, well, you’re practically a hero.” 

Rayla looked sad though. “Maybe...but a lot of folks still lost someone on that mission, all because of me.” 

Ethari sighed, figuring this would come up now and again. “True, but you intended no malice. And that goes a long way.” He sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulder. “What do you say we clean up the pond in the back?” 

“Really? Do you think…” She wipes away a tear she didn’t know she had.

Ethari nods. “I think now is a good time.” 

“Alright.” She replies. “Sounds good to me.” She watches as Ethari gets up and leaves. Staying behind in the silent treehouse, she reflects that even in their shared loss of Runaan, they can still find happiness in each other. _I think I’ll just put his flower somewhere pretty. Maybe near Ethari’s workshop, so he can watch him work._ She got up and walked out the door, ready to face the day. 

-/-/-/-

Thorus was talking about something. Callum was sure of it. However, he couldn’t focus on the words coming out of his mouth. After a while, his teacher seemed to take notice of his lack of attention. “Perhaps you could answer the question Callum? You’ve been awfully quiet this past lesson.”

Callum swore he heard someone snicker as he jolted up. “Ah, uhm….uhhh.”

“That's quite an intelligent response.” Thorus replied sarcastically. “Anyone else then?”

A hand was raised. “Aspiro?” 

“Yes, that is correct. Aspiro is one of the beginner spells for the sky mage, but don’t let that fool you. It can be a very potent spell. Now, who here has an idea of the practical use for aspiro?”

Several other hands were raised, and one of the boys in the back was given a turn. “Blowing up the skirts of th-” He didn’t get to finish his sentence, as Thorus had already stormed to the boys desk and smacked him across the cheek.

“Can I at least expect you to take your studies seriously!?” He roared at the stricken boy. “Whatever you do in your own damn time is your own concern, but in my classroom, you apply yourself SERIOUSLY to the arts of the arcanum, and NOTHING ELSE! Do. You. Understand!?”

The elven boy had visibly shrunk back, cheek still red from the impact. He looked paler than before, and nodded, wide eyed from the outburst of his teacher. 

Thorus took a deep breath and walked back to the front of the classroom. “Well now, anyone else?”

“B-blowing a soldier off a mountain?” A boy hesitantly answered.

“That would be correct, though it would require you to be on a mountain in the first place. Anyone else? Come on you lot! Think creatively!” 

Callum decided to risk it. Thinking back on his adventures with Ezran and Rayla, he knew that the spell saved them at least a couple of times. “Sir? I used the spell to stop an avalanche once…” 

All the heads in the classroom swiveled in his direction. Thorus squinted at Callum. “Really? You stopped an entire avalanche with one of the simplest spells of the arcanum?” He looked like he didn’t believe him. 

Callum couldn’t blame him. “Well, not the entire avalanche. You see, we were traveling and-” He looked around. Most students looked either bored or offended, probably because he deigned to come up with a better answer than them. Callum decided to just get to the point. “Well, an avalanche was heading our way. I told Rayla and Ezran to get behind me and just as the avalanche was about to hit us, I released the spell. It basically -” 

“- cocooned you, I would imagine, yes….” Thorus finished the sentence thoughtfully. “You must have some decent lungs at least.” He begrudgingly complimented the human student.

Callum laughed awkwardly. “Not really. I could only keep it going for a couple of seconds. After that, the avalanche swept us away. I like to think though that the spell prevented the brunt of the impact.” 

“It likely did. Impressive. Well? Can anyone top that?”

No one in the class dared to raise their hands anymore, but some of the students were giving Callum openly hostile looks. 

Thorus resumed his teaching and Callum felt his attention again diverting from the sky arcanum to a certain moonshadow elf. He thought of Rayla often these days, and he missed her a lot. He tried to write her as often as he could, but he found that sometimes he didn’t have the time or the energy to write her, and at other times, he simply didn’t know what to say.

 _Dear Rayla, all is well, still studying. How are you doing? Love, Callum,_ he finished the short letter in his head. _It sounds ridiculous!_ He was frustrated. Even though he was mastering one spell after the other, he felt the distance between himself and Rayla growing. His letters had become shorter, and so had her replies. He didn’t know what to draw anymore. He missed her hugs and kisses, and didn’t know what to do about it. 

And then, all of a sudden, Aireli appeared, growing close to him in a very short time. She was kind to him and genuinely interested in his studies. He thought her a very good friend, but she started hugging him every time they met. Reflecting upon this, he had to admit that he felt weird about it.

 _I mean, is it weird? I suppose friends can hug each other…_ He wasn’t too sure about the protocol here, but moreover, he was conflicted. He found that he liked the hugs. He liked the intimate contact he had with this girl. _But, it’s just friendly right? It doesn’t mean anything! Gosh, I hope it doesn’t upset Rayla… should I tell her? Or will that just make her mad for no reason?_

Callum found that these newfound thoughts were very disturbing to him. He loved Rayla, and he had no reason to search for love anywhere else, but the intimacy offered by this elven girl was alluring, and it confused him. Moreover, she invited him to go stargazing with her tonight. He looked forward to it, but it also reminded him that it was something he used to do with Rayla. 

_I don’t get it,_ he thought as he watched Thorus chew out another pupil for casting aspiro at a fellow classmate behind him. _How do you deal with this? I suppose I’ll just have to go with the flow…_ He turned his head away from the scene in the classroom and stared out of the window to the open sky. 

-/-/-/-

It was early afternoon when Rayla was carrying the umpteenth bucket of water out of the pond. She wiped the sweat off her face and looked at the pond. The water level had lowered quite a bit, showing green stains on the side of the pond. 

_I figure it would take another couple dozen or so to fully empty it._ She found that she didn’t mind the work though. It was soothing. It gave her a sense of closure. Her own flower was still floating in the middle of the pond, gently swaying with the ripples caused by her work. It would take some time before the water was low enough and the other flowers would be visible. She no longer dreaded this. She looked forward to it. 

_I will offer the families those flowers. I hope that they will forgive me, but at least I did what I could._ Deep down inside, a feeling of contentment was starting to take hold. Abandoning her comrades had been a gamble, but it had paid off. There was now peace between the realms and the dragon prince was safe. Blood had been spilled, but it could have been far worse. _Now, no one has to die anymore. At least, if no one does anything stupid._ Mulling over that thought, she carried another bucket of water to the stream nearby. 

When she came back, she was still lost in thoughts. As she lowered her bucket into the water, something suddenly caught her attention. A tiny bit of crystal broke the surface of the water. Her heart sank a bit. _Ah, there they are. All that’s left of the memory of my comrades._ Though as she looked at the crystal, something felt off. _Wait a second. I thought the pond was deeper than this?_ She looked around, but couldn’t see any of the other crystal flowers, so she focused again on the one that was barely surfacing. _Maybe it’s on a rock or something?_

Even as she thought that, she knew it would be the wrong guess. The pond was kept pristine and empty so nothing would interfere with the rituals it was used for. She bend down and put her arm in the water. It disappeared in the somewhat murky water, but she couldn’t see or feel the bottom. She lowered her arm some more, and her hand went deeper still. _Strange. So the flower isn’t resting on something, yet it’s submerged...partially?_ She could make heads nor tails from this as she focussed on the flower again. Then, she saw it glow a bit, just barely. Startled, she nearly toppled over into the pond but managed to catch herself. Sitting down beside the pond, she kept her eyes trained on the bit of crystal rising above the surface. Again, it glowed a bit. Rayla’s eyes went wide. “Ethari!”

Within moments, Ethari was by her side. As Rayla pointed out the anomaly of the partially sunk but still glowing flower, she saw him falter and for a moment thought he was going to faint. He steeled himself however, and slowly stepped into the pond, careful not to crush any of the flowers lying on the bottom. 

“Wait, Ethari! I thought we weren’t allowed to get in the water. That’s sacrilege!” Rayla’s objections were half-hearted, but it felt safer to comment on traditions than to utter anything else that was on her mind, like who that flower belonged to or what it signified. She didn’t dare give herself hope.

Ethari however, now felt a flicker of hope, the first he had in nearly a year. “I don’t care Rayla. This is important. I’ve never seen something like this.” He crouched down into the water, staring at his half-submerged creation. Carefully, and very slowly, he put his hands in the water, underneath the flower, and raised it out of the pond. “...No, it can’t be… It’s….it’s Runaan’s!”

Rayla breathed in sharply. “That’s impossible!”

“Rayla, the flower is still growing! He’s not dead!” But as the glow faded again, he added. “But… he’s not alive either…” Ethari tested the flower by placing it in the water. It sank, but only below the water level. It never touched the bottom, and was definitely floating. 

“Ethari, what does this mean?”

He looked at her with desperate eyes, but there was hope in his desperation. “I don’t know Rayla, but I think I can find out!” 

The rest of the day was spent in Ethari’s workshop. Ethari used some of his tools and his own magic skills to see what was going on. However, despite being the best enchanter in the Silvergrove, the flower wouldn’t give up it’s secrets, or simply couldn’t. It was early evening when Rayla walked in on Ethari throwing his tools against the wall in frustration. 

“So… didn’t find anything?” She asked carefully, thought she already knew the answer.

Ethari gave her a frustrated look. “It doesn’t make sense! How can someone be alive and dead at the same time!?” He picked up a hammer and threw it at the wall with such force that it left a crack in the wood, making Ethari groan. He wasn’t worried about the hammer, it was enchanted after all, but the wall would need some patching after this tantrum.

“Couldn’t he be asleep? Like, in some kind of coma?” Rayla sat down next to him, doing her own bit of brainstorming, really wanting to solve this puzzle.

He shook his head at her suggestion. “No, that would mean he would still be alive, though unconscious.” Ethari sat down and put his head in his hands, his palms covering his face. He had been crying, he discovered. He hadn’t noticed it while he was working.

Rayla was plucking at a cloth laying on the workbench. “How about you tell me what the flower does? How does the enchantment work?” 

Ethari leaned back in the chair, toppling it a bit. He stared at the ceiling. “You infuse the crystal with the moon arcanum, and then give it to the person you want it to connect to. The crystal will glow as long as the person hasn’t passed away. There’s nothing more to it really.”

She mulled over his words. “Hasn’t passed away…could it be possible that he’s still here, but as some kind of ghost?”

Ethari shot her a weathered look. “Ghosts don’t exist Rayla.”

“But what if they do? Could his soul still be here somehow?”

Now it was his turn to think. He combined her idea with the knowledge of the spell he had. “I suppose that could be it… it would certainly explain the confused state the flower is in.” he said, gesturing at the flower that was still pulsing slowly but steadily. “But where _is_ his soul then!? It’s certainly not in the village. Anyone connected to our protective enchantments would have noticed such an intrusion!”

Rayla stood up and started pacing the room. “Alright, let's think for a second. Runaan was on a mission to kill the...the king.” She swallowed as she remembered that she was talking about Callum’s steph-father. “He succeeded. I know, cause the ribbon came off. So… what happened afterwards? What would have happened?”

Ethari shrugged. He had often thought about what Runaan’s last moments would have been like, but he had no way of knowing for sure. “I take it he was captured by the guards? His flower didn’t go under until a few days after the others.”

“Alright! So they brought him to the dungeon.” She frowned. “Callum wrote that they never found his remains… but the dungeon... was used by Viren!” 

He raised a brow. “Viren? And who might that be?” 

“He was the dark magic sorcerer who fought us at the Storm Spire!” Her mind was racing, thinking back of what she knew of him. However, the only time she encountered him directly was when he snuck into the Storm Spire. Flashes from her battle against him entered her mind. He froze her, but didn’t kill her because he wanted the dragon prince first. He did say something to her though. _What was it again?_

_Viren looked at her evilly, taking pleasure in her immobilized state. He looked her in the eye and said; “It will be a pleasure to add one more moonshadow elf to my collection.” He dangled a purse in front of her ominously and Rayla could do nothing but widen her eyes in fear, unsure what kind of fate that would be._

Rayla’s eyes opened wide. “The purse! That’s it!” 

Ethari gave her a confused look. “I’m sorry, what?” 

“Viren said he had a moonshadow elf collection, and he showed me a purse! He must have captured some piece of Runaan and put it in there!”

“What!? That’s preposterous! How is that even possible!?” 

Rayla shrugged, but didn’t look dissuaded from her idea. “I don’t know, but Viren could do a lot of strange things, like enchanting all those soldiers for example. Dark magic is an evil, strange thing. Maybe he did somethin’ to Runaan to make him smaller? Or trap his spirit or somethin’?” 

Before Ethari could finish, Rayla had already rushed out of the workshop. “Rayla, wait! Where are you going!” He went after her, and found her in his house, packing her gear and throwing random supplies on the table. It looked like she was packing for quite a journey. Ethari stammered as Rayla went around the house, grabbing this and that and putting it on the table. “Rayla, what...what is….What are you doing!?” 

“Packin’ of course!” She said in between breaths. “I need to go to Neolandia!” 

“What!?” Ethari could make heads nor tails from her behaviour. “Why? You just got here!”

Now Rayla stopped and looked at her intently. “That’s where Viren is. And with luck, that’s where Runaan is.” 

His eyes locked with hers and within them, he saw both hope and determination. “Rayla, be careful. I just got you back! I don’t want to lose you again!” Ethari strained to keep the emotion out of his voice.

She smiled softly at him. “Thanks Ethari. But I’ve got to do this. If I can do anything to make up for what happened durin’ the mission, I should do it.”

Ethari sighed. “Alright. There’s no stopping you. Is there anything I can do to help? I would go with you, but I’m not an assassin.” 

Rayla surprised him by responding with a hug, not being able to contain her excitement on the prospect of maybe, just maybe getting Runaan back. She felt gratitude towards her foster family and wanted to show it. “No, but you have been a great da when my parents couldn’t be.” She let go of him and resumed her packing. “But could you get me a mount? I need to travel fast!” 

Ethari was momentarily shocked by her hug. Rayla wasn’t a hugger, she had never been. _Gods she has changed…_ He looked upon her and again saw the little elf girl that he had to raise in the absence of her parents, his best friends. “I’ll get you the fastest shadowpaw we have!” 

Within minutes, Rayla stood outside with her armor on, her swords on her back and a travelpack at hand. Ethari came riding towards her on the shadowpaw, dismounted, and handed her the reins. As Rayla jumped up, she looked down at Ethari with a look of apology. 

“I’m sorry my stay here was so short.” 

Ethari touched her cheek gingerly. “It’s alright lass. Solve this mystery for us. If possible, bring him back to us.” He knew that it could be a fool's hope, but it was all they had and after so long without him, he couldn’t help but hope for Runaan’s return. “Just promise me you’ll stay safe. I couldn’t bear to lose you again.” 

Rayla smiled, but her eyes didn’t. “I’ll...I’ll try. That’s the best I can promise.” 

“That’s what I’ll take then. May the moon guide you Rayla.”

“And may it ever shine down upon your home.” Rayla saluted him and spurred on her mount. The shadowpaw leaped forward and dashed through the Silvergrove. Several passersbys were startled and looked confused at Rayla’s sudden departure. She just got here after all. But Ethari watched her leave with a smile on his face. There was hope in his heart again, and though the mission seemed impossible, if anyone was to complete it, it was Rayla. 

-/-/-/-

With a careful stroke of the brush, Callum applied the last of the paint to his chest. He looked into the mirror, and stared at the result. The arcane runes covering the upper part of his chest looked intimidating, with a large eye painted in the middle. It was the last part of his preparations for tomorrow. They would be part of the spell he was going to cast. As Callum glanced at the spellscroll, then back at the mirror again, he couldn’t help but be pleased. He had to admit that he wasn’t one for tattoo’s, but these looked damn impressive. Thorus had explained that the paint wasn’t permanent, and that he had to apply them every few months. This surprised Callum, but he was very glad to have learned this. _I could have fallen out of the sky if my mage wings would have failed!_

He put the paint away and sat down. Another day of exhausted lessons had ended, and Callum was ready to hit the sack. However, he had promised Aireli to go stargazing with her, so it looked like he wouldn’t be getting any rest yet soon. Deciding he wanted to spend his time usefully, he hit the library again. However, he had studied nothing but the sky arcanum these past few months. He felt it was time for a change. 

Callum’s fingers moved over the spines of various tomes, looking for something interesting, something new. After a few minutes of searching, he found what he was looking for; a tome about all of the different arcanums. Deciding that he might as well learn a bit more about other types of magic, he grabbed the tome, found a comfy spot in the library and spent the next few hours reading it. 

Though Callum was fascinated by all things magic, his enthusiasm had worn off considerably during these last few months. Nowadays, it was less the childlike curiosity that drove him, and more his motivation to master the sky arcanum. It also helped that right now, mastering the sky arcanum was the only way to see Rayla again. However, even that thought didn’t help him and he was really looking for something that could distract him from all that.

As he leafed through the book, he stumbled upon a few pages about celestial magic, the only arcanum Callum had heard next to nothing about. Intrigued, he read the pages closely. It was a general description, but it sounded very mystical, and very powerful. It had to do with visions and mystery and dreams. 

_Dreams… so could Belthasar be a star-touched dragon or something? Maybe that’s how he got into Rayla’s head…_ Callum mulled this over. _Maybe… if I learn I tiny bit of starmagic, I could do that dream spell as well? I could be with Rayla during the nights! I wouldn’t even have to leave the temple!_

Motivated and thrilled by the thought, he quickly scanned the rest of the pages, but it was all general information, no runes or spell descriptions. Frustrated, Callum scanned the library for more tomes or scrolls about the star arcanum, but since this was not the expertise of the sky temple he was currently in, he came up empty handed. 

“There’s got to be something here…” he said to himself as he kicked a chair in frustration. “I’ll ask Thorus. Maybe he-” Callum looked out of the window, and saw that it was getting pretty dark. He groaned, having forgotten his meeting with Aireli.

 _Alright, I’ll ask him tomorrow._ He thought inwardly as he rushed out the door. _If I hurry, maybe I won’t be too late, and she won’t be angry._

As it turns out, Aireli was a little pissed when Callum made her wait for almost an hour outside the tower. “Really Callum? I thought you were never going to show!” 

Callum, trying his best to placate her, quickly gave her a hug, figuring that was the way to do it. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I got caught up in my studies!”

“Again…” she said with a mischievous smile. “Well let’s clear that head of yours. You’ve been doing nothing but study the last few weeks! You need to relax a little.”

Callum saw that she had brought a basket and a blanket with her. “What’s in the basket?” 

“It’s a surprise!” Aireli’s eyes were twinkling in the moonlight as she took to the air and flew in the direction of the grassy plains. 

Callum watched her go. It was a full moon tonight, so he could see her despite the darkness. “Manus Pluma Volantis!” With a stroke of his wings, he had caught up to her and together they flew away from the Aero Temple. After half an hour of flying where they raced each other, they landed on a grassy field, both winded from the exercise. 

“Whew! No fair! Those mage wings of yours are far larger than mine!” She said as she folded hers. She walked up to him and stroked his wings admirably, grinning. “Do you know what they say about elves with large wings?”

Callum felt a blush creep of his face and immediately let the spell fade away. “I...uhm….I-” 

But Aireli simply giggled and took his hand. “Come on! There’s a good spot over there!”

“Uhm… okay!” Together they walked to a spot that looked comfy enough and settled down. Callum was glad to finally be able to let go of her hand. _It feels wrong… I don’t know what skywing elves usually do, but this feels way to intimate!_ Still, he didn’t want to let down Aireli on a moonlit night like this, so he tried to go with the flow.

As they both lied down on the blanket, Aireli talked about the constellations. “I’ve heard some pretty interesting theories about them! Apparently, with the right eye, you can use them to predict the future.”

“Huh? How? Is there a spell that does that or-?” Callum was intrigued. It sounded like starmagic.

Aireli laughed. “No silly! You just look at the stars, look up your constellation and figure out what it has in store for you!” 

Now Callum was puzzled. “I don’t follow. How can you have a constellation? They’re all up there!” He said, gesturing at the night sky. 

“Well, true, but not every constellation is straight above us at the same time. Look,” she said, pointing upwards to the sky. “Can you see which one’s above us right now?”

Callum squinted. He recognized the constellation, but tried to remember it’s xadian counterpart. “That’s the Two-fish-who-are-friends. I believe you call them Garlac’s-flail-of-poison-thorns?” He said with a wry smile, thinking back of his stargazing session with Rayla.

“Garlac’s what-now? No! Bwa, that sounds ridiculous! Who told you that?” Aireli was laughing at him.

Callum felt embarrassed. “Oh, just, someone I know.” he mumbled, not really looking at her. 

“Well, it IS ridiculous! Those stars clearly form The-two-lovers! Look, there’s the head, and that there’s the arm, and…”

Callum watched as she pointed things out and felt another blush creep up his cheek as he saw his fish constellation slowly being transformed into two humanoids embracing each other intimately. _Really, is there anything that won’t make me blush tonight?_ He thought with annoyance. He’d settle for just a comfortable night with a friend, but it looked like Aireli had other plans. 

“...and as you can see, some of the stars shine brighter than the others, clearly indicating that whoever is born under this constellation will have a lot of luck in their romantic endeavours.” She turned to face him, smiling brightly. Her bright deep-blue eyes were a stark contrast to her pale blueish skin. 

“Uhm….kudos for you I guess?” Callum ventured carefully.

She giggled, and tiptoed with her fingers along his arm, causing him to shiver. “You seem distracted, human-boy. What’s on your mind?” 

He turned to look back at the stars, trying to put the effect her fingers were having on him out of his mind. “I was thinking… if I can connect to the sky arcanum, perhaps I can also connect to other arcanums?”

Aireli gave him an unreadable look. It almost looked like she was… disappointed in something. She let her head fall back on the blanket and sighed. “I suppose it’s possible. It’s rare, but not unheard of. There’s this one dude who managed to connect to everything. Poof, just like that!”

“Really? Who?”

“Ara...something.” She said absentmindedly, not really interested in the topic. 

“Do you mean Aravos? I actually have something that was of him, or at least named after him!” 

“Oh, really? That sounds exciting.” She said with a voice that indicated she thought of it as anything but. 

Callum mulled over his thoughts. “Maybe I can connect to the star arcanum somehow. I believe there’s a spell that will allow you to visit someone’s dreams.”

“Really? Now that DOES sound interesting!” She turned to look at him, but Callum was ignoring her, still lost in his thoughts. 

“It’ll probably be very difficult, connecting to another arcanum. But it might be worth a try. I shall ask Thorus in the morning.”

“Pffff, that old oaf!” She said abrasively as she wiped away a bug that had crawled onto their blanket. A moment of silence followed. Aireli was put off by Callum’s lack of attention to her. Still, she wasn’t quite done with him yet for tonight. “You know,” she started with a seductive low voice “if you do manage to do that, you are welcome to visit my dreams.” As she said that, she cuddled up next to him, putting her head on his shoulder and an arm around his torso. 

Callum tensed immediately, alarm bells going off in his head. “T-That ...that sounds….nice?” He looked at her, afraid of what she was going to do next, but she remained still and just laid there, cuddled up against him, breathing softly. A warmth began to spread through his body. As if on instinct, he gingerly put an arm around her. He was very confused, but she hadn’t made any other movement and he still wasn’t sure of her intentions. _What do I do, what do I do!? Think, Callum think!_

But no further thoughts or ideas came to him. “This is nice…” He heard her murmur into his chest. 

“Yeah...I suppose it is.” Letting go of the last bit of his restraint, he put his other arm around her as well and cuddled up to her for warmth, feeling happy, confused and guilty at the same time. 

-/-/-/-

It had taken Soren a couple of days to get to Neolandia and as he rode his horse through the empty desert on an old brick road, he immediately regretted not taking off his armor. 

“Stupid sun… stupid heat… stupid sweat…” he muttered as hu pulled on his armor and clothes, trying to get some air between the sticky material and his sweaty skin. He was stubborn however, and had stocked up enough water to last him another day before he really needed a refill. “I’m going to beat you sun, and then I’m going to find my sister, and…” He frowned. He hadn’t really thought that far ahead yet, but he was sure that he could improvise that on the spot. 

After another hour, he spotted something in the distance. There, shimmering in the heat, were the outlines of a bunch of palm trees.

“An oasis! Yeah, fresh water! Alright horse, let’s go!” He spurred on the horse, but after a few faster steps, the horse resumed it’s slow trod, clearly exhausted from the trek in the burning sun. “Aw, you’re hot too aren’t you? That’s alright. We’ll get there.”

As they got closer however, Soren noted that something was off. He saw a shape lying in the shade. A large, blueish, feline shape. He dismounted his horse and drew his sword, slowly getting closer. “Alright kitty cat, are you friendly or is Soren going to make mince meat out of you?” 

The large beast stirred as it heard Soren approach. It had a dark coat of fur, with light-blue manes and two horns with dark-blue mystical patterns on them. The cat narrowed it’s eyes and growled at the intruder as Soren stepped in the shade. He could now see that the a saddle was lying next to the beast, along with a few packs of elven design. “Elves, here in Noedelandia? That’s str-”

“That’s close enough human!”

Soren whipped around to see a hooded figure standing in the darker shadows of a couple of trees clustered together. Though the face was obscured, the twin blades she held out in front of her were unmistakable. “Wait… little elf girl? Rara?”

Rayla groaned as she recognized the voice, the posture and the stupidity of the person in front of her. _Him! Here, of all places!?_ “It’s Rayla!” She put her swords away and stepped forward, becoming somewhat more recognizable as she put down her hood. “What are you doing here Soren?”

Soren put his own sword away and let his horse into the shade. “Oh you know, just enjoying the hot Noedelandia summer, taking a stroll… say, is that cat going to eat my horse? Because then me and the cat are going to have a problem!”

Rayla crossed her arms. “My _shadowpaw_ has been fed, so it shouldn’t, not unless your horse is bein’ an ass. And enjoyin’ the summer you say? I can see that.” Rayla was impressed by the massive sunburn Soren had in his face. _That’ll hurt…_

“Yeah, well, what are you doing here then?!” Soren retorted. He wiped the sweat of his face and grimaced as his tender skin protested at his touch. 

“Looking for Viren.” She deadpanned. 

This shocked Soren. “My father? What do you want with him? Why on earth are you even here!? Aren’t you supposed to guard the dragon prince?”

Rolling her eyes, she walked towards him and offered him a flask of water. “That’s a long story. But basically, your father has somethin’ of mine, and I want it back.” 

“Oh… well good luck asking!” Soren took a few swigs, grateful for the taste of fresh water. 

“Wasn’t plannin’ on askin’ him, more like just takin’ it without being seen.” She grinned as she pulled out one blade again, inspecting it. “While we’re on the subject, care to tell me why you’re here now?” 

Soren looked conflicted for a moment, but since he had definitely cast his lot with king Ezran, who was the brother of Callum, who was the boyfriend of Rayla, he figured that he could tell her. “I was hoping to talk to Claudia. I want her to come back to Katolis.” 

This surprised Rayla somewhat. “Really? You think you can manage that?” 

He shrugged. “I won’t know until I try, right?”

Rayla looked pensive for a moment. “Well, you know, the two of them will probably be together. Maybe we could travel for a bit.”

“You mean like, go on the mission together?” For some reason, the thought of the two of them storming the cultist really excited him.

“Eh… I dunno about the mission. You’re not exactly stealthy… but I could use your help in finding out where they are hidin’.”

“Oh, I know that already. They’re in Valros, near the red mountains.”

This surprised Rayla. “Wha… how do you know that? Have you been in contact with them or somethin’!?” She pointed her blade at him in an accusing manner. 

“Noooo… if that was the case, I would have talked my sister into coming back ages ago.” Rayla rolled her eyes, but Soren didn’t notice. “No, Duren found out where the headquarters of the cult is. Apparently, they’re not hiding either. They’re kind of a big thing now in Noedelandia.” 

“Neolandia…” Rayla muttered. “Alright. Then you can lead us! Let’s rest for now, we’ll leave at dusk.”

“Huh? Why wait for dusk when we can just go now?” Soren was about to mount his horse, but the horse stepped away, giving him a sad, tired look. 

“Soren, you can’t just expect that horse to carry you around in the heat of the desert! Most people travel during the night! It’s a lot cooler then!” Rayla shook her head at the warriors' stupidity. _Apparently it’s just the one thing he’s good at, and not much else._ She watched as Soren just shrugged and undid the buckles of the saddle, giving the horse some freedom and allowing it to cool on it’s own. _At least his heart is at the right place._ She looked in the distance, seeing nothing but sand, but knowing that Viren, and Claudia, would be out there somewhere. 

_I’m coming Runaan. Hold on, wherever you are._

After dusk set in, the pair traveled silently through the night. Just as dawn came, they arrived at the city of Valros and they steeled themselves for the next step of their own individual missions. 

-/-/-/-

Viren read the letter delivered to him this week and frowned. Claudia was coming back from the castle, and would be arriving this morning. She said she wanted to talk. She didn’t say about what. _But I can guess..._ Viren thought as he crumpled the letter in his hand. These past few days, he, Claudia and Aaravos had disagreed more and more on what was the next best step. Viren wanted to consolidate his power, make alliances and make sure that the other human kingdoms are all united under one banner. Even Del Bar was now using dark magic more openly, though, as Viren understood it, not in the same way as they were operating in Neolandia. 

_I should check that out sometime soon._ He thought to himself. It pained him to see that his daughter just didn’t see it that way. She reasoned that with the awesome power of the sun staff and the army of dark magic users she had been training (mostly in combat magic nowadays!) Claudia was very confident that they could take on an elven army if they were smart about it. Viren thought this to be suicide. _The elves are skilled in warfare, and have magic users of their own. Why is she so eager to jump into the fray!?_ He also thought that this would be the wrong way to use dark magic, or at least, he had a feeling there was more to it than raw power. What irked him most however, is that he had lost control over his daughter. She alone now had direct access to the ruler of Neolandia, and thus, all of its resources.

Lastly, there was Aaravos to consider. He seemed to be impartial to whatever approach they took, as long as they finished the artifact they were working on; the Heart of a Dragon. He said that it would contain enough power to overthrow the elven kingdoms on it’s own, though he agreed that gathering more followers was a good idea. Viren didn’t think that Aaravos did not pick sides because he was trying to be polite; he just didn’t care. 

This left Viren with a predicament; try to force his daughter to cede control of the nation to him and forcing her to follow his plan, or leave to Del Bar on his own to try to get them to join Neolandia in an alliance against the elves. _And Katolis and Duren,_ he thought bitterly as the two nations had fought against him during the battle of the Storm Spire. 

Viren walked out of his study and onto the balcony of their temple. It overlooked a square where various people were now setting up stalls for a market. _Whatever path I or Claudia will take, it must be for the betterment of humanity. If we are to part ways, so be it. Two can still accomplish more than one, even if separated_. Telling this to himself, he pushed away the pain he was feeling on possibly falling out with another one of his children. He stared into the distance, contemplating his thoughts, and because of that he missed two inconspicuous figures creeping through the townsquare, trying to find a way into the temple.

-/-/-/-

“So, while I was studying, I came upon something interesting.” 

“Oh really, did you now?” Came the chagrined reply. Callum had to strain to hear Thorus speak over the rushing of the wind. They were pretty high up, and the mountain was getting closer. 

Callum felt nervous. This was the moment he had been working towards. He now had to prove that he could handle advanced spells, perhaps even prove he had mastered the sky arcanum! He really had no idea of what to expect after this demonstration. But first, he had to show that he was capable to cast the spell, and while he did his best to memorize every tit-bit of the spell scroll Thorus gave him, he was still a little unsure about it. He decided he might as well distract himself by talking about something else. 

“So I read about the other forms of magic. Is it really possible for someone to connect to multiple arcanums?”

Thorus looked across his shoulder to his student flying behind him. “Yes, it is, but it isn’t easy. For elves, it means to learn something that is counter to their nature. For you, it might be even more difficult. Why? Do you plan on switching?” He replied with a mocking tone. 

Callum sped up a little to get closer to Thorus. “No, it’s not that. I just know of a star arcanum spell that I want to cast, so I was wondering-” 

Before Callum could finish the sentence, Thorus was already shaking his head. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that you would try to expand your repertoire, but I’m afraid I must disappoint you boy. Only startouch elfs can do star magic.” 

Callum was unconvinced and pressed on.. “Look, that's what they said about me and the sky arcanum. They thought I couldn’t do it. YOU thought I couldn’t do it. But race doesn’t matter!”

Thorus looked at him, not really caring about Callum’s outburst. “It isn’t a matter of race, or magic. It is a matter of time. Startouch elves live their long lives for a reason. They can perceive the subtle waves of magic that ripple through our worlds. This is what enables them to use the star arcanum. The subtleties are lost on us who are short lived. It is something that we can probably only really see and notice after we pass beyond the veil.”

“Oh…” Callum said nothing for a while, feeling a little bit let down. He had hoped to use this to contact Rayla, but it seemed like this was even out of his reach.

“Focus boy, we’re here.” Thorus said as he dropped down. Callum followed. They floated towards the top of a mountain. The skysplitter, they called it. It was one of the highest mountains in Xadia. Callum noted they were indeed pretty high up. The Ventus Spiralis spell made sure they were still breathing, but it didn’t protect them against the cold. They had trained for this however at the sky temple, and by focussing on his inner core he was able to keep the cold at bay.

Thorus and Callum landed on the peak. Callum took in the scenery. The sky was clear. The view up here was absolutely amazing. He mused that he should go back here one day to make a few sketches. 

A cough from Thorus interrupted Callums thought process. “Well boy, are you going to do anything to day? Or are you just going to gawk at the scenery and waste my time?”

Callum grimaced. _He never changes._ He looked down at the arcane runes and lines painted on his chest, A blue pupil less eye featuring prominently in the middle. He breathed deeply, as he had thought himself to do now in moments of stress. And this was definitely one of them. 

“Of course, if you are ready to admit that this spell might be beyond your level…” 

“Shut up!” Callum snapped. “I don’t know if I can do this. But I was able to do everything else, and I don’t know if I can do this spell until I try, now do I?” 

Thorus looked amused at his tirade. He made a ‘go ahead’ motion with his hand. “Well then?”

Another breath, and Callum started to draw the runes of the sky arcanum in the air using both of his hands. It was an intricate design, but Callum worked logicly, both hands working clockwise, opposite each other to complete the design. He drew the lidless eye in the center last, and incanted the spell. “Oculus Tempestatis!” 

The runes in the air faded, but the light seemed to be absorbed by those on his chest. “Get ready!” Thorus warned. “Don’t lose focus, lest this storm will rampage without control down the mountain!” He casted his own spell in the meantime. “Ventum est Clypeus!” The air-shield spell appeared around him. Callum noticed, but felt his focus being drawn to the winds. He couldn’t actually see what was happening, but he could feel it. He stretched his arms and used his will to try to control the winds which were now picking up speed. Dark clouds began to appear, blocking the sun, 

“That’s it boy, keep that focus!” Thorus’s robes didn’t even flap, being completely safe from the onslaught that was now appearing on the mountain top. The dark clouds formed right above Callum, maybe a mile up or so, and were quickly rolling in all directions. Raindrops started to fall, hitting hard in Callum's face as they were flung about by the harsh winds. And yet, Callum felt that this was only the beginning. He closed his eyes, and willed the storm to take shape properly.

A rumbling sound could be heard above. Flashes of lightning could be seen in the clouds. The rain was now pouring down. Callum was reminded of that time that he smashed the primal stone. But still, the storm hadn’t reached his peak. 

Callum focussed, bringing his hands together in front of him and focussing his eyes on them. He was the centre of the storm. _I am the eye of the storm!_ The winds now swung about him, but they no longer affected him as a small area around him appeared to become immune to the storm. Outside of that however, small boulders were shifted across the ground, and the few small trees that grew on the side of the mountain were toppled and picked up as the wind thrashed about with tremendous power. Water now poured from the skies, striking rock and stone and dust, not leaving any puddles but being flung about again by the wind, withering away the soft parts of the earth. 

Callum slowly let his hands fall down his sides, his mind keeping the focus on the storm. As he watched the valley below, he was pleased to note that the storm only stretched a mile or two across. It didn’t touch the greener parts of the mountain side or the valley. He had control of the storm. To test this, he focussed on a lone tree that until that point had withstood the onslaught, the large pine standing proudly on the slopes. Callum stretched his arm towards it and snapped his finger. Lightning immediately struck the tree, splitting it in two and setting fire to it’s inner core. The flames were quickly smothered by the rain, but the inner core was now coal that remained aglow, even against the rain and wind that battered it. 

Thorus slowly moved next to him and dropped his shield spell. “Incredible…” he whispered. Callum looked at him. He seemed genuinely impressed, maybe even distraught that he, of all people, was able to do this. “Even my most advanced students had to work on this spell for years… To think you were able to pick this up so easily….” 

Callum frowned. “I wouldn’t call it easy. I had to study the arcane writings for weeks.” Thorus looked offended at the implication that his students wouldn’t do this. Callum picked up on that and continued. “I’m not saying that your other students aren’t good students, but, I just get this.” He gestured at the storm that he was still focussing on. “I get it. I understand the sky arcanum. And in all honesty, your school sucks. You don’t protect your students from bullying, and you won’t allow them to engage in discussion with a teacher.” 

Thorus snarled. “What, so now you’ve accomplished all this without my help? Is that what you’re saying now?”

“No, you as a teacher were a great help. As a person, you could do better. The thing is, I’m bullied and isolated. My girlfriend is a thousand miles away. The only thing I’ve got is my sketchbook and my talent for the sky arcanum. I don’t have any friends here, so I spend all my time focussing on my studies!” He raged on and as he did, the storm seemed to grow with intensity, the rumbling in the clouds amplified by his anger. He looked at the runes at his chest which were glowing slightly. “All that focus paid off.” 

Thorus said nothing for a while and watched the storm rage across the mountain. “You can stop the storm now, before you cause a mudslide.” 

Callum nodded. He breathed in deeply, then let the air go out slowly, at the same time slowly releasing his grip on the storm. The clouds became lighter and drifted away. The rain stopped, and the winds grew still. 

Thorus regarded his student, who was panting from exertion. Even if Callum made the spell look easy, it still drained him, especially now that the adrenaline had left his system. “Have you considered that I have isolated you on purpose? To see what you were made of? To see what you could accomplish without the help of good-natured elves? To see if humans can truly manage on their own?”

Callum didn’t look at him, but watched the sun appear behind the clouds as he answered. “If that’s true, then you are very effective as a teacher. It’s also incredibly cruel, and I don’t think you should do that ever again.”

When Callum looked at his teacher, he thought he saw a faint blush on his face, but it could also be a trick of the light. _Is he ashamed?_

“Perhaps you are right, or perhaps you aren’t. At the very least, I am glad, proud even, to see what you accomplished today.”

Callum was so surprised by this that he nearly stumbled and fell. _Thorus is proud of me!?_ He didn’t know what to say, and as he saw Thorus looking at the valley below, he figured he wasn’t in the mood to elaborate. They stayed on the mountaintop for a while, each contemplating their thoughts. Finally, as they made ready to go back to the school, Thorus addressed him one more time. “That thing with your fingers you did? With the lightning?”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t recall that being part of the spell. You snapped your fingers for effect didn’t you?” 

Callum grinned. “Yeah, I totally did.” 

-/-/-/-

Two hooded figures were watching the temple from the corner of the square. Various stalls were being set up and people were milling around trying to get everything ready for today, so their presence went largely unnoticed. The temple they are watching was old but showed signs of reticent restoration. Rayla figured that the cult just picked an old empty temple and refurbished it for their own purposes. Soren was more interested in the guards posted at the temple; they were all figures wearing dark-grey leather armor, with light-grey cloaks with hoods on them to protect them from the sun. Some carried spears, while others carried no weapons whatsoever, which surprised Soren. 

“Just look at them. No weapons! They have some pretty shitty guards!” 

Rayla looked at the guards herself, and came to a different conclusion. “Maybe, or maybe they are dark mages and use spells instead of weapons. Remember all the stuff your sister tried to do to me when you two chased us?” 

Soren scratched the back of his neck. “Hey, I apologized for that, didn’t I? Or did I? I can’t remember.” 

Rayla laughed softly. “It’s okay big guy. You’re alright. Point is, that magic stuff is powerful. We should avoid alerting the guards if we can. We can’t take them all out anyhow.”

“Right, so what’s the plan?”

“Well, we-” Just at that moment, Rayla spotted something. From the back of a temple appeared a largy, purple creature, flying upwards and gaining speed quickly. It was visible only for a few moments before it disappeared out of sight completely. 

“What? What is it?” Soren looked at Rayla questioningly. He looked up in the sky to where she was looking, but didn’t see anything.

“I don’t know… but whatever it was, it’s gone now.” She sighed. There were many unknowns to this mission. She had fought dark magic users plenty of times before. Most of the times, she had lost. She didn’t like her chance fighting those guards. “How are your climbing skills?” 

“Give me a piece of rope and I’ll climb up that wall in no time.” Soren said confidently.

“And without rope?” Rayla replied, eying the steep walls, calculating her own path.

“Eeh… maybe you could carry me?”

“Right…” Rayla thought of what the best approach was. There was a gap between the guards on the upper floor where she could probably climb up to unseen, but then the guard near the door could see her. And this wouldn’t help Soren get in either. She mulled it over and considered the different avenues of approach. “Alright,” she said as she grabbed Soren by the shoulder. “Here’s the plan... “

Omir was bored. He really wished he hadn’t played bones and dices yesterday. The losing streak caused him to wager his free hours, which he lost as well. And now he was stuck on guard duty while that scum, Marin, could just enjoy the market and pubs and chat up with the girls and ugh! He hated it. He kicked a rock for effect. Guarding the Temple in Valros was supposed to be a great honor, but the truth is that they didn’t have any enemies here. Nothing interesting happened, ever. 

“Excuse me?” 

Omir looked up in surprise. Before him was a blonde young man who sported a very impressive sunburn on his face. He was covered in robes, but looked quite bulky underneath. “Yeah, what do you w-” Omir caught himself. As the guardian of the entrance, he was supposed to be polite. “What I mean is, what can I do for you good sir?” He groaned inwardly. _Why do I have to say that?_

“Well, I was wondering if I could get in and get some ointment for my face. I have this terrible sunburn you see.” The young men mumbled as he pointed at his face.

“Yes, I can see that. However, we don’t generally heal people at the temple. You have to get to the healer tent for that.” Omir gestured at the far end of the market where a large tent had been erected, carrying the symbol of the True Light.

“Well...you see….” The young man seemed unsure of what to say next. He kept glancing to his right. Just as Omir was about to look as well, he suddenly stepped closer. “I was actually hoping to get a glance of that wonderful mistress of yours.” 

“Wha!? Oh, you mean sorceress Claudia?” Omir focussed his attention on the man again. He was now inside his personal space. _I could cast a spell to make him all itchy...but maybe he’s just curious. Better to just be polite I think._ “I’m terribly sorry. I don’t believe she is in at the moment. You aren’t allowed in anyway. Members only you see.”

The young man suddenly looked very depressed. “Oh...oh I see… well, alright…” He glanced to his right, then upwards, as if admiring the building. Apparently satisfied with what he saw, he stepped back. “I suppose I should leave then…” 

Omir nodded. “I think that would be best.” And with a wave, the blonde man left, walking along the side of the temple back to one of the houses. Omir shook his head. _Crazy people… It’s probably best I didn’t tell him that high sorceress Claudia will be back soon. Can’t imagine what that creep must want with her._ Omir started to whistle a ditty little tune, convinced that he did his job as a guard perfectly.

Soren looked back, and when he saw the guard looking the other way, quickly round the corner. A rope was hanging from the wall. With some effort, he pulled himself up and saw Rayla there waiting for him. “Took you long enough.” was her snarky reply.

Soren shrugged it off. “There’s a problem. Claudia is not here.” 

This surprised Rayla. “She isn’t? I thought you said this was their headquarters.” 

“Beats me.” he whispered, not wanting to alert any guards. “But if she’s not here, there’s no point for me being here either.”

“Well, I’m still not done with my mission. I could use some backup.” She hissed. She meant it though. She was probably a lot more stealthier, but having a good fighter as a back-up was not a bad idea. 

Soren sighed, feeling depressed that he couldn’t talk to his sister after all. “Allright, what are you looking for?” 

“A small, brown pouch. Viren said he kept his moonshadow elf collection in there. It jingled like there were coins in it.” Rayla felt uneasy as she described the pouch, and tried to put it out of her head. 

Soren thought for a moment. “I think I know what you mean. He would probably keep it in his study or something.” 

Rayla nodded. “Alright, let’s look for that!” 

The two of them crept along the upper floor. Though Soren wasn’t stealthy, Rayla more than made up for it, scouting ahead and making sure that Soren never got anywhere near the guards. Soon they had entered the temple. While guards patrolled the outside, the inside was rather empty. There were several rooms connected to one large hallway. 

“Which one do you think is the study?” Soren asked, trying to make sure his armor didn’t jingle so much underneath his cloak. 

“Let’s try the most obvious one first.” She said, pointing at the door at the end of the hallway. They slowly crept towards it and Rayla was surprised to find it unlocked. When they entered, they saw various bookcases, a few tables with books, manuscripts and pots with ingredients, and shelves upon shelves filled with animal parts and pots and plants. Rayla had a dejavu from the time she found the dragon egg in the dungeon below Katolis Castle. 

“This looks like my dad’s room alright…” Soren whispered. Knowing his father was truly evil now, it put all of the ingredients in a gruesome light. These animals probably died to give his father more power. It wasn’t out of necessity, as his father had always claimed. 

“Okay, now let’s look around!” Silently, the two of them walked along the room, looking at the shelves and opening drawers, searching for anything resembling the brown pouch. Though they did find two pouches, both of them contained powder and Rayla was sure that wasn’t it.

“Oh please oh please…” Rayla whispered. “Let it be here…” 

“Well now, this is certainly a surprise!” 

Both Soren and Rayla whipped around. There, in the doorway leading towards a balcony, stood Viren.

-/-/-/-

Aireli yawned. She was sitting in the library, pretending to study. It made her look better towards the teachers, but in actuality she was reading some novel. She had to contain a blush as she read through the pages. _However this book ever came in this library is anyone’s guess! It’s certainly not material those old teachers would want us to study._ She bit her lip as she could imagine herself reenacting the scenes in the book with someone she’d been seeing a lot these past weeks. 

All of a sudden, Callum burst in the library. “Aireli, there you are!” 

Airely turned around and stood up in surprise. “Callum, you’re back!” She didn’t expect him to be back for another couple of hours. She saw Callum standing there, sweating but smiling. He ran up to her and gave her a hug from his own excitement.

“Oh, the spell worked perfectly! You should have seen it! I actually did it! I created a storm!” He let go of her and did a little silly dance in the room.

While she was glad for him, she was a bit put off by his excitement and his silly dance. “Ehm, that’s great for you Callum, really!”

Callum grabbed her shoulders and looked at her, all smiles. “You don’t get it. Master Thorus is considering giving me a temporary master title. He says there’s no point in not giving me that status after what I’ve just pulled off!”

This made Aireli stare at Callum wideeyed. _He’s THAT good? I’ve never heard of students getting their master that quick!? He’s only been here what, six, seven months!?_

Callum saw her surprise and tried to explain. “I would still need to finish all the other subjects that are required, so I would still be studying here for years. But being a master means I’m free to come and go whenever I want!” He got a bit foggy eyed as he further explained what this meant to him. “I get to see Rayla again!”

Aireli mouthed “Oh.” as she now realized why this was such a big deal to him. _This is not good. He’s going to leave and see that elf again! I’ll have to move fast!_ “Well, then I suppose we should just celebrate then?” She replied awkwardly.

Callum didn’t notice her awkwardness and just laughed. “I think celebrations are in order yeah.” 

She smiled. “Good. How about we meet here an hour after dinner?”

“Here, in the library?” Callum didn’t think it would be the right place to party, and though he was eager to finish the rest of his studies, he certainly wasn’t THAT eager. He had earned a rest. 

She giggled. “No silly, I’ll prepare a spot for us. Just make sure you’re here in time. Oh, and wear some nice clothing.” She said with a wink as she walked away from him, towards the door. 

Callum felt slightly suspicious as he watched her go, but quickly discarded that feeling. _It’s good to celebrate this with a friend. It’s good to not be alone. And I get to see Rayla again! After all those months, things are finally starting to look up!_

That evening, after dinner, Callum came to the library. He was wearing a nice outfit as asked. _Maybe there’ll be a surprise party somewhere?_ He thought hopeful as he entered. However, the only person he saw there was Aireli. She looked rather alluring. She had chosen to wear a loose fitting dress that showed all of her curves quite nicely. Callum gulped. “Aireli! You...look...nice?” He ventured carefully, not sure what he was supposed to do here.

Airely smiled wickedly at him. “I’m sure I do. You also look quite dashing. Have you been dressing up for me?” She stroked his vest with her hand, causing him to get goosebumps.

“Ah...well...you said to wear something nice…”

“I did, didn’t I?” She took his hand and pulled him out of the library. “Come with me.”

Aireli let Callum through the dark halls and stairs of the tower, going upwards quite a bit. Callum was disoriented in the dark. This part of the tower wasn’t used in the evening, so it wasn’t lit properly. Eventually they came to a door. When she opened it with a key, Callum saw a cozy looking living room. A fire was going in a fireplace, there were bookcases lining the wall, and a comfy looking sofa was the centrepiece, standing before a delicately woven rug with beautiful patterns. There were a couple of doors leading to other rooms. Callum guessed that this was a guest room of some kind. 

“So, what do you think?” Aireli said as she gestured towards the room. 

“Looks cozy.” He said, repeating his earlier thoughts. _It doesn’t look like a party room however, so what does she plan on doing here?_

Aireli pulled Callum towards the couch and sat down beside him. “So, Callum, what are you going to do now that you are a master of the sky arcanum?”

Callum laughed awkwardly, more at the situation than at the question. “Well, it’s just a title. I still got a lot to learn, but since I learned such a powerful spell, I think I will just focus on learning all the other spells as quickly as I can.”

“Well, you are the best human student I have ever seen! Actually, make that the best student. You’re the first human here after all.” 

“Wow, thanks! I mean, you’re not bad yourself, you just need to practice drawing runes a bit more.” 

They talked a bit more about school and their plans. Aireli got them a few drinks, and Callum was surprised to taste the alcohol in it. He didn’t drink too heavily however, since he didn't have any experience with the stuff, but as Aireli’s questions began to be more intimate and more awkward, he found himself drinking more, just so that he could have some time to think of an answer.

“And what do you think of it?” Aireli was leaning towards him. 

Sitting next to her, Callum found himself having to constantly focus his eyes on hers, let’s they be drawn elsewhere. “Think of what?” He got distracted and didn’t listen to her question.

She giggled. “What do you think of kissing? Do you like it?” 

“Like, in general?” Callum said, taking another sip. Aireli nodded. “I suppose I do. I’m not an expert I think, but...you know... “ He blushed, not feeling like telling her about the smooching sessions he had with Rayla.

Aireli smiled broadly. “That’s good to hear.” She yawned. “I’m a bit tired. What do you say we go lay down on the couch a bit?” Before he could answer, she was already stretching herself, pushing Callum behind her so that he was spooning her.

“O-oh… okay then… I guess… we could? Just for a bit though!” Callum felt extremely uncomfortable right now. _Is this right? It feels like this is a bit more than just ‘friends’..._

Aireli turned around and put her head on his shoulder, softly stroking his chest. “This is nice, don’t you think?” 

This time, Callum didn’t reply. He could feel the conflict within him, feel himself tensing up, fighting against the hormones that were telling him that yes, this was a very nice elven girl lying next to him.

She sensed how tense he was. Her hand went upwards, slowly stroking his jaw. She felt him gulping. Slowly, she reached up and placed a kiss in his neck, and then softly whispered to him. “Don’t you want me, Callum?”

Callum’s eyes flung open as he stared at the ceiling. He tried to get op slowly, but felt the weight of her body holding him down. “Aireli, I don’t think that-” 

“What is going on here!?” The door had opened without the both of them noticing in the heat of the moment. There in the doorway stood a very angrily looking Thorus, glaring at the both of them. “I said, what is going on here!?” 

Callum shot up instantly, now completely disregarding Aireli as she nearly fell off the couch through his sudden movements. “Aewhhh…” Was the must he could utter. 

Thorus breathed heavily through the nose, eying the two. He looked at Aireli. “Well? What were you doing with that human boy?”

Aireli didn’t look all that worried as she rolled her eyes. “Oh please dad. Can’t you give me a break? We were just having a moment!”

Thorus wasn’t having any of it. He gestured towards the door. “Callum, get out! Out! You are even more disgusting than I imagined you would be!”

Callum felt his cheeks redden. “H-hold up, this isn’t what it looks like!”

“Really? So you weren’t cheating on your girlfriend who’s the captain of the guard!?” When Thorus saw Callum’s look of surprise, he added. “Oh yes, I know of your letters. Very sweet of you to write her. A pity you didn’t mean a word of it!”

Callum wanted to protest, but Aireli beat him to it. “Oh shut up dad. Don’t make this such a big deal! It’s not like he’s the only one to ever cheat on someone! We were just having some fun!”

Callum looked shocked and disgusted at Aireli. “Was THAT what we were doing!?”

She looked back, both surprised and annoyed. “What, you didn’t think all those hugs and cuddles were friendly, do you? Did you really not pick up any hints while we were together? You even agreed to anything I wanted to do!” 

“I thought that we were just friends! I even told you about Rayla!” Callum exclaimed, his heart racing, not sure how he got into this situation.

Aireli’s look turned sour. “Well then, your loss human boy!” She pushed him and stormed towards the door, pausing only to add. “Oh and by the way? Those ears of you are quite ugly!” she spat before she stormed out.

Callum sat back on the cough, flabbergasted by the whole experience. Thorus sat down near his desk. _I...I cheated with the daughter of master Thorus!? What...what have I done?_ Callum got up very slowly, as if he had forgotten how to walk. Somehow, these last few minutes had rocked his world. He approached his master gingerly, not quite sure what to say to him. “I-I didn’t know she was your daughter…”

Thorus looked weary. “My daughter has many faults, which in turn are mine for failing to raise her properly. But does it really matter?” Thorus now looked up at Callum. The look he gave him stung Callum to his core. “You are the most magically gifted person I have ever seen, and as I have watched your tremendous progress, I can’t help but feel proud for the things you’ve learned and achieved in such a short time span. But that makes my disappointment in you all the greater. I thought that you would prove that humans are different, that they don’t have to be bound by their basic needs. I guess I was wrong. To see you throw away a happy relationship for a short fling, not seeing the greater happiness in life makes me feel like I’ve only taught a failure.”

Callum was stunned. He did not know what to say. He had been called many things, but he had never been called a failure before. Tears started rolling down his cheeks. He could only think of Rayla, the one person who probably still believed in him. He needed to go see her. Now. “Am I still a master?” As Callum uttered the question, purely intended for him to have an excuse to leave the tower without consequence, he could already see the death sentence as he read his master's eyes.

“Get. Out.” Thorus spat. Callum took a step backwards, frightened, then ran out of the room.

As he got to his own room, most of the other elves were already sleeping. He was tired of the many emotions raging through his body. He felt like he had accomplished something great, had lost a friend, betrayed a teacher, and, worst of all, he might have destroyed his relationship. As he contemplated these thoughts he spotted a scroll lying in the middle of his nest. He took it out and spotted the seal of the dragonguard. _Rayla!_ He was glad she used that seal. Not even his fellow students dared to mess with something containing that. It was too dark to read it here though, so he quickly made his way to the library, where candles were kept burning throughout the night. With some apprehension, he opened the scroll and read its contents.

_My dear, sweet Callum,_

_You are the one for me, and I miss you terribly. I want to hug you, to cuddle with you, to be with you, but we just simply can’t right now. It hurts me so much! Does it hurt you too?_

_I know that our letters have become rather distant as of late. I suppose it makes sense. We’ve been apart for longer than that we’ve been together, but I can still feel your arms around me when you jumped off the Spire to save me. I know with every breath and every heartbeat that you are the one for me._

_The studies must be hard for you, especially with the hostility you get from the other elves. I know you don’t write about those, but I can guess. I wish I could visit you sometime, but I’m afraid that the dragonguard must be ever present. We are an elite fighting force for a reason after all! It’s an honour, but a burden as well. Still, I like the other warriors. Especially Catlyn who convinced me to write this letter with a bit more honesty. I guess that when you love someone you try to not hurt their feelings by leaving out bits and pieces, but that’s not really honest now is it? The truth is that I love you, but I worry as well, and I hope that the next time that you write to me, you will tell me honestly how you feel and why you can’t or won’t come to visit me._

_I trust you with all of my heart. I hope that you will entrust me with yours,_

_Fidelis usque in finem,_

_Rayla_

His hands trembled as he read the letter, massive waves of guilt washing over him. He HAD been neglecting her in his writings, and he HAD been looking for attention elsewhere, even if subconsciously. “Oh Rayla, what have I done to you…” He cried, but in his pain, he found resolve. While there was still much to learn here, in this letter he had found something that was much more important. Love, and a future together. Callum looked up and walked back to his room, his eyes shining with grim determination. Tonight, he would pack and leave the Aero Temple. Tonight, he would return to Rayla. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: New one is up! 
> 
> Concerning the story: I think most of you saw something like this coming. While I don’t think that Callum would cheat willingly, I’d say he’s naïve enough to be pulled in by the shenanigans of some other girl if they try hard enough, especially if he is lonely and is missing Rayla. How will this affect their relationship? You’ll find out next time! As for Rayla, she’s finally going to see some action, though this might not go as planned. 
> 
> I haven’t checked this chapter as thoroughly for mistakes as I would like, but that will come in time. I also noted some major mistakes in the last chapter (mixing up names and spelling). I am going to clean all of those up, but not before I’ve finished the entire story. I want to keep on track with the updates.
> 
> Concerning the update schedule: Well, there’s not much to say. Actually, there’s a lot to say, but it’s the same for everyone else I recon. The virus came and f###ed things up. We got married before the law, but the actual wedding and celebration has been postponed. It was an odious ideal, with many sleepless nights and some loss of our savings. Still, it seems the worst of the storm is over, at least for us, and that is something to be thankful for. 
> 
> I have to thank my dear wife (so proud that I can legally call her that now! :D ) for pulling me through. Despite the difficulties we are going through, at the end of the day, she’s always there for me. 
> 
> I would also like to thank Wyta again. Because of our strong friendship and joined writing sessions, I was able to keep my skills honed, and eventually got back into writing Eye of the Storm.
> 
> Lastly, many, many thanks to you readers! I love the reviews, and I’ve been getting some personal messages as well through various mediums asking how things are. Thank you for your concern! It means a great deal to me. 
> 
> I intend to see this project through right until the end (2 more seasons after this). As of now, there should be no obstacle to updating with 1 chapter a week. I sincerely hope I will be able to hold myself to this. Only time will tell.
> 
> Do leave a review if you’ve read the story. I love hearing from you all! Cheers!


	6. Turbulence

Rayla drew her blades and crouched down low, ready to dodge any magic Viren would send her way. She remembered how the last time went for her though. _This isn’t good…_

Viren seemed to have a similar train of thought. “A moonshadow elf… a familiar moonshadow elf!” He turned to Soren. “You have certainly made interesting friends, son.” 

“Give up father! You are outnumbered!” Soren said, trying to sound more confident than he was feeling. 

Viren raised an eyebrow. “Really? Perhaps I should summon some shadows to my side then, to even the odds?” 

No one replied, but they eyed each other warily. Rayla and Soren were hesitant to attack. Rayla because she knew the extent of Viren’s power, Soren because Viren was still his father. He remembered how he felt when he had stabbed his father’s illusion at the battle of the Storm Spire. Strangely enough, Viren made no move either, simply placing his staff in front of him and leaning on it, eyeing the intruders with disdain, but also with interest.

“So, are we just gonna stare at each other or what!?” Rayla said terstily, whirling a blade as she was still moving to the side, flinking Viren. 

Viren raised an eyebrow. “It is rather typical that all you moonshadow elves want to do is to fight. Don’t you ever stop and think for a second what could be accomplished by talking?” 

“Hah! Says the guy who attacked the Storm spire with an army!” 

“An army I assembled by talking my way to the top.” Viren cocked his head. Though the intruders didn’t notice, he was gripping his staff so hard that his knuckles turned white. _Calm yourself! Those who keep a leveled head will come out on top of the situation!_ “You seem...unsure of whether or not to attack me. May I surmise that you are not here to kill me then?”

Soren moved to his other side. They were both still a few feet from him, but they wanted to be within leaping distance at least, if Viren made any threatening moves. “We’re here to put an end to your evil!” He declared heroically.

“Really? And how will you do that?”

“By going to....by doing.... “ Soren hesitated. He did not want to kill his dad, nor could he say it. He decided to change topics. “Where is your bugpal?” 

Viren sighed. “My ‘bugpal’ is off on an errand. Now what are you two doing here?”

Rayla took a step forward, leveling her blade with his face. “Where is Runaan?” 

Blinking, Viren took a careful step back, trying to stay out of their immediate reach. “And who would that be?” 

“The moonshadow elf who killed yer king! He’s not dead, I know that much.” An angry gleam took hold of Rayla’s eyes, and even Soren felt a shiver run down his spine as he saw his ally creep closer and closer to Viren. “I ask again, what have you done with him!?” 

“Ah, so that’s what this is about…” Viren thought for a second. He was outnumbered, and had no hope of escaping this situation without dark magic, though; _If they do not want to kill me, then perhaps a conversation is in order. And if those useless coins is all they want, then perhaps I can trade it for something useful, like information…_ Vired reached for the pouch on his belt, containing the coins. As Rayla noticed this, her other sword went straight for his hand, nicking him and causing him to recoil.

“Any dark magic and it’ll be the last spell you’ve cast!” 

Viren was surprised by how menacing her voice could sound. He sneered at her. “No it won’t, because you won’t kill me until you’ve got what you came for. And I will not let you leave with it until I’ve got what I want.” he looked up as he noticed a familiar sound echoing through the building. 

“Dad, she just wants some brown bag with stuff or something.” He said, remembering slips of their conversations on the way here. “Just give it to her. And where is Claudia? I wanna talk to her as well!” 

Viren waited a bit before answering, upping the tension. Once he judged enough time had passed, he said; “I don’t just give stuff. I trade. And I might trade this-” He said as he patted the small pouch on his belt “- for a conversation with your elven friend here. And if you’re looking for your sister, all you have to do is look behind you.” 

Soren scoffed. “Nice try, dad but that won’t work on meaaaAH!” Soren yelped as he felt himself fall upwards to the ceiling. As he looked up (or below, depending on how you look at it) he saw Claudia enter.

“I’m here dad! Are you alright!?” Her eyes were still glowing bright purple from the magic she just used. As she spotted the elf, crouched next to Viren, swords at the ready, she hissed. “I’ll protect you! Ignis p-”

Viren held out a hand. “Stop! The elf and I are going to have a talk, and if the talk is fruitful, then they will leave without any further violence.” He gave Rayla a stern look. “Won’t they?” 

Rayla looked about. Two magic users posed a large problem. She didn’t really think that she could best them. Muardalt was defeated by her only because Callum helped her. _For Garlac’s sake.... Looks like it’s diplomacy again! I HATE diplomacy…_ She didn’t understand what Viren was up to, but since he had not yet taken the opportunity to harm her, she figured that she could hear him out, if only because she had no choice. Part of her wanted to fight, trying to end their evil here and now, but with Soren helpless stuck against the ceiling, there was no chance that she could take on the two of them.

“Alright then... “ she said, lowering her swords slowly. “But no funny business!”

Viren scoffed, but didn’ t comment. Instead, he addressed his daughter. “Claudia. Why don’t you take Soren outside?” 

Claudia looked uncertain. “Are you sure dad? She’s clever. She could hurt you!”

Viren shook his hand. “She could, but then she would never get back her compatriots.” he said as he eyed the moonshadow elf, who was squinting her eyes at him, but made no hostile movements at the moment, though she was still gripping her swords. 

Claudia pouted. “Fine! But I do want you to be safe! Sdnah Egam Gnibbarg!” Her eyes flashed purple again as two streaks of dark energy released themselves from her hands. In a flash, they twirled themselves around Rayla’s swords and yanked them from her grasp.

“Hey! Give those back!” Rayla was already leaping towards Claudia, but she simply extended another hand and Rayla was pushed back by an invisible force. 

“You’ll get them back after your talk.” She frowned. Claudia found that she didn’t like the elf at all. This was the elf that helped Callum get away from her, the same elf that Callum had saved using dark magic. _How did Callum get to be such good friends with that creature!?_

Rayla lay on the ground, looking angry, but feeling helpless, defenceless without her weapons. Viren didn’t seem to care about what transpired and was waiting for Claudia to leave. Claudia made a gesture and Soren dropped down from the ceiling.

“Oompf! Autch! What the heck sis!?” 

“Soren, just shut up and come with me okay? We’ll talk.” Claudia gave her father a last look. Be safe, she mouthed to him. He didn’t say anything, but nodded. And with that, Claudia and Soren departed the room.

“So, shall we sit down?” Viren moved to one chair and gestured to another one about five feet away from him, which seemed to be a safe distance. 

Rayla watched him sit, hesitated, then, eventually, sat down opposite of him.”Alright, you wanted to talk, though I can’t imagine about what. What do you want?”

Viren stroked his chin. “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know!?”

“Just what I said. I don’t know. Let’s get to know each other first, shall we? What do you know about me?”

Ralya thought for a second. She wanted to give a snarky reply, but figured that would only annoy him. She didn’t want to lessen her chances in getting that pouch. “You were a dark mage in Katolis...and Callum’s teacher.... And the father of those two?”

“Close enough. I was high mage at the court of King Harrow, and I was indeed responsible for both Callum’s and Ezran’s education. When the king was killed by your companions, I rallied the other human kingdoms to strike back at the elves and end the Xadian threat once and for all.” 

This riled RAyla to her core. “What Xadian threat!? We never threatened you with anythin’! It wasn’t until you killed our king that we struck at yours!” 

Viren squinted. “Your king killed our queen, and those of Duren.” 

Rayla blanched. She didn’t know that. “Then...then they must have been on Xadia soil. The king would never go past the border, and he wouldn’t kill without reason!” She wasn’t sure that was true, but it was a reasonable assumption. 

“True, but just crossing the border should not have been a death sentence for them.”

Ralya leaned forward, getting angry now. “Well, pardon me, but I can understand why the king would respond violently to humans entering our domain. Every time the humans cross into Xadia they leave a bloody trail in their wake! Every time they murder and kill dozens of innocent creatures.”

Viren gripped his staff so hard he cracked his knuckles. “Yes. And if we don’t, thousands of humans, men, women and children starve. Children STARVE!” He roared the last part, causing Rayla to lean back. “You don’t seem to understand why humans ever practiced dark magic. Your kind never does. We don’t do it for our pleasure, we do it out of necessity. There was a famine. If we hadn’t crossed the border back then to retrieve ingredients, s hundred thousand would have starved to death.” 

“Have you considered askin’ for help?” She replied curtly. 

“Our neighbouring kingdoms suffered the same problem.” 

“Have you asked Xadia?”

“If we did, would they have helped?”

Rayla considered this. She wanted to say yes, but she knew how stubborn elves could be. At length, she responded. “No, no, we wouldn’t have.”

Viren spread his arms. “And therein lies our conflict.”

Rayla scoffed. “If we’re in conflict, why are we talkin’ now? You were so eager to grab the power of Prinze Azymondias at the spire… what changed?”

Now Viren took his time to ponder the question. “My perspective.” He said. “It may not look like it, but you killed me. Through some miracle, Claudia was able to bring me back, but that fall did kill me.”

This shocked Rayla. _I...I killed someone?! But...he’s still alive…_ She didn’t know what to do with that information. Viren took her look of astonishment as a sign to continue. 

“Once I came to, I realized what I had done. Even if my intention was to erase the threat of Xadia so that the human kingdoms could prosper, I realised I had slowly become corrupted, both by Aaravos’ and my own lust for power. I have used dark magic more and more for my own benefit, and I paid for it with my life and that of my countrymen.” He gestured at his own face. “Some of the corruption disappeared after I died, but not everything.”

Rayla looked at him, really observing him now. _He looks...tired._ His face was an unhealthy white, with the skin cracking at places, and his eyes were red at the edges, like he hadn’t slept enough. His hair was white at places, giving his hair an uneven look. She shook her head. “ Why are you tellin’ me this?”

A heavy sigh escaped Viren’s lips. He glanced out the window. _We still appear to be alone. Good._ “Because… I fear I may have set things in motion that I cannot stop, and that those things will destroy both Xadia and humanity.”

-/-/-/-

In the meantime, Claudia had dragged her brother to a different room. Her mind was raising on how to best approach this situation. _Last time, Soren wasn’t exactly thinking things through. He was more like stabby stabby._ She looked back over her shoulder and eyed Soren’s sword, still in his hands. She didn’t know if he would let her cast anything. He looked pretty on edge. _Maybe...maybe I just have to make him a bit more...friendly towards me._

She led him into another room. As soon as they entered, Claudia walked briskly towards a table and reached for a feather, but as soon as she did, Soren stopped her, grabbing her arm. 

“No Claudia, not this time!” 

Claudia struggled against her brother, but he was a fair bit stronger than her. “Soren, wait! If you will just let me-”

“No, I’m not going to let you turn me into a chicken!” He replied, making sure she stayed away from the pile of feathers.

Startled, Claudia turned to look at her brother. “A-a chicken!? I wouldn’t...I mean, that would…” Despite the seriousness of the situation, Claudia found herself trying hard to contain her laughter.

Soren noticed, and, being her sibling, started to laugh as well. “Pffft...Hahaha! A chicken!”

“You would make for a very big chicken Soren!” 

“Yeah, a pretty buff chicken!” He said, flexing his other arm while still holding hers.

Claudia sighed, feeling some of the tension ebbing away. “Soren. Please let go of me. I want to show you something.” She felt as her brother released her arm, though he stayed on his guard, apparently not wanting her to get to the pile of feathers regardless. Claudia noticed and looked him in the eyes. “Brother, do you trust me?”

Soren stared back, raising an eyebrow. “Trust you!? You were going to turn me into a chicken just now!” 

“A ch- No, I wasn’t going to… argh! Just come with me you oaf!” She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the balcony, away from the table with ingredients. As they stood on the balcony, they had a perfect view of the city. Claudia gestured at the people below, the market bustling with activity. “What do you think of this town Soren?”

Soren looked down. “Well, it’s a bit warm, and a bit dusty, but it’s alright I suppose. Why?”

“Can you believe that this place was a dump when we got here?”

“You build this town on a dump!?”

Claudia groaned. “Ugh, no! I mean that people were really poor and a lot of them were sick and starving! So me and dad got to work and started helping people with dark magic. And things got better! Aaravos, that’s what the bug’s called by the way, he gave us ingredients and in turn we’re now helping the people here! Can’t you see? We’re finally doing some good here!” 

Soren looked doubtful, eying the guards that patrolled the town, clad in armor and robes of the True Light instead of Neolandia colors. “Sure, but that’s not all is it? You are actually taking over the country.”

“Yes, to help them!” Claudia pressed. “They would be much better off under our leadership!”

“And then what. Say you rule Neolandia, what’s next? Are you going to attack Katolis?”

“No! Why would we attack fellow humans!? That’s not what we’re about at all!” Claudia was getting frustrated at her brother’s stubbornness to not see things her way. “We’ve only ever had one enemy; Xadia!

Soren frowned. “But we just made peace with Xadia!” 

Claudia gave him a frown to match. “Yeah, and what did it cost you? You can’t use dark magic anymore. What happens when somebody gets really ill? Or-or when there’s another famine!? Are you really counting on your pointy-eared friends to help you out?”

“They are not so bad Clauds. Not as bad as dad made them out to be at least.” Soren was uncharacteristically sincere, and it put Claudia off.

“It’s just a trick Soren… They’ll betray you eventually.”

He shrugged. “Maybe, but they haven’t so far. They’ve been nice enough, and that elf with the two swish-slash swords has even become Callum’s girlfriend.” 

Claudia’s eyes widened as she felt an icy spear stab a soft spot in her heart. “W-what? I-I mean.... Callum?”

Soren was oblivious to Claudia’s inner feelings as he continued on a joval tone. *Yeah, he’s doing alright. Finally got himself a girl, and he’s now studying magic in Xadia. Did you know that he can actually do arcanum magic without a stone?”

“Y-yes...I’ve never seen it myself, but I’ve been curious ever since I read the reports....” Her mind was still mulling over the fact that Callum found someone else. _Callum....Oh, how much must I have hurt you for you to run to an elf!_ “So...he’s in Xadia now?”

“Yeah! We get reports now and then. Ezran reads them, but he tells me the fun bits. Apparently, he’s doing quite well in school. He’s hoping to get back to the Storm Spire though, to see Rayla.” Soren rubs the back of his head as he laughs awkwardly. “Oh boy, can you imagine? That letter was weeks ago! He might actually be there already. And Rayla is here, with me! Oh, the unlucky bastard….” 

Claudia frowned. _Unlucky? He found someone…_ “Unlucky indeed.” Still, Claudia gave a slight smile. The information Soren gave her provided her with some opportunities. She hugged Soren, who was very much surprised by the gesture. “Well, thanks for talking with me bro.”

“.... you’re welcome Clauds.” He returned the hug. “...So, you’re not going to turn me into a chicken?”

Claudia said nothing, but snickered.

-/-/-/-

“So you’ve finally discovered that dark magic is full of corruption?” Rayla was still aggressively taunting Viren. She didn’t want to start a fight, but she also couldn’t just forget what Viren had done. 

Viren, to his credit, was being very patient with the aggressive elf. “I already knew the corruptive nature of dark magic. I used it anyway, for the betterment of humanity. That should tell you enough about what kind of man I am.”

“Puh… Evil?” 

“Pragmatic. Principled.”

The two eyed each, still sitting, but on edge. 

“You’re not going to stop usin’ dark magic, are you?”

Viren shook his head. “No, though I am going to moderate the use and find a less damaging way to use it. I’ve heard rumors of a council in Del Bar that uses dark magic as well, though in a very...religious manner. This might be worth investigating.”

“Right….” Her tone of voice indicated how much she believed that dark magic could be used for good. “But I still don’t know what you want from _me_. Much less do I know if I want to give it to ya.”

“What I want to know is the stance of Xadia on the human kingdoms. You are the captain of the dragonguard. You are close to the king. I want to know if Xadia will attack the human kingdoms that didn’t join in their alliance.” 

Rayla sat there, pensive. She didn’t know a lot about what he was asking about, but she knew some things. She wondered if telling him would be divulging state secrets though. She couldn’t betray Xadia, not even for Runaan. “What are you goin’ to do with that information?”

“Use it to my advantage of course.”

Rayla grimaced. _Of course he would…_ “Right… well, I’ll tell you this much. King Aureum Umbra loathes dark magic, but he seems content with the two human kingdoms who have allied themselves with Xadia and have sworn not to use it again. I guess I can safely say that the king doesn’t hate humans per sé.” _Whether he thinks highly of them is a different matter entirely however._ “The king is very honourable and will keep his word. When Callum promised to help, the king kept his word and sought out a teacher for him. I think that, as long as Katolis and Duren don’t do anything with dark magic, then the king will keep the alliance intact.”

Viren nodded. “That makes sense I suppose. And what of the other three nations? What of Neolandia, that is now actively creating an army? What of Del Bar, with it’s council of dark magic mages?” Viren was pushing her. In truth, the ‘army’ they had was far from ready, and he didn’t really know if the councilmembers in Del Bar were really dark magic mages, though it was likely considering they called themselves ‘the council of Ziard’. 

Rayla hesitated, but figured an outburst of the king didn’t really count as a concrete plan that he was going to execute. “He threatened to destroy the other kingdoms in a preemptive strike. Zeron talked him out of it though.” 

Viren’s eyes widened at this. “Zeron did? That is a surprise…” He recalled his earlier meeting with the dragon. Though there was the feeling of underlying threat during that meeting, the dragon had remained quite civil.

“You know him? How!?” Rayla’s thoughts went quite the other way. _Is Zeron dealin’ with the enemy!?_

“That is none of your concern. However, to surmise; the dragon king holds the nations that use dark magic in contempt, but is not planning to strike. Would that be correct?” 

“....yes, to the best of my knowledge at least.” 

Viren smiled inwardly. _That gives me some respite. Perhaps in Del Bar I can then start anew and start a front against Xadia and Aaravos._ “Very well then. I think that concludes our meeting.” Viren stood just as Claudia and Soren entered. 

“W-wait! You said you would trade information for what I want!” 

Viren nodded. “Indeed I did.” Then, ignoring Rayla, “Was your talk fruitful as well?” 

Soren opted to say something about talking not being the way to get fruit, except when you’re on the market, but Claudia already answered, saying, “Well, we exchanged some… views… He won’t stay though.” Claudia looked dejected as she said that.

“Of course he won’t. He is the captain of the crownsguard after all. He needs to return to his king.” Viren gave his son a neutral look, which Soren returned. 

“So, what do you want me to do with the elf dad?” Claudia readied her staff, which gave Rayla chills as she tensed, ready to jump out of the way. There was not a snowflake's chance in Garlac’s Furnace that she could make it out of here alive without her swords though. 

Viren paused for a bit, adding to the tension, but then made a dismissive gesture. “Nothing Claudia. She and Soren will leave unscathed, and they will remember that those who practice dark magic are not evil, nor merciless monsters.” He gave Rayla a very pointed look as he said that.

“We’ll see about that, but you still haven’t uphold your end of the bargain Viren. I answered yer questions, now answer mine. Where is Runaan? I know he’s still alive. What did you do to him!?” Her tone of voice became frantic. After all that, she wouldn’t just be sent away here. Her entire travel here would have been for nothing!

Viren looked at her as he spoke, his voice authoritative. “You gave me information. I am going to give you three things in return; A promise, a warning, and a gift.” He held up one finger. “I will promise you that I personally will not bother Xadia any longer, as long as they leave me alone.” He held up another one. “I warn you that if Xadia ever strikes out again towards the human lands without _sufficient_ provocation, that the consequences will be dire.” And finally, he held out his hand, containing a small brown satchel. “I give this to you. T’ is what remains of your comrade, and every shadowmoon elf that had the misfortune to cross my path.” 

Rayla grabbed the satchel quickly and opened it. _Please don’t be bones, please don’t be bones…_ She knew that the satchel was way too small to contain anything significant, but she also didn’t know what else to expect. When she looked in the satchel, she was surprised to see it was filled with a few handful of coins. She blinked and looked at Viren. “What’s this?” 

Viren smiled, a bit of his former, evil self gleaming through. “I sought of a way to store their life energy, so that I could extract it when needed. I succeeded partly, but never found a way to properly use the coins. And before you ask, no, I don’t know how to reverse the process. That is really up to you.” 

With shaking hands, Rayla picked up a coin from the satchel and looked at it. A frightened moonshadow elf looked back at her. She didn’t know it was, but it confirmed her suspicion that some object was trapping their soul or essence and preventing it from moving on. “You….you monster!”

“Really, is that any way to say goodbye?” He motioned for the door. “Be gone now, before we change our minds.” He nodded to Claudia, who returned by his side. 

Rayla’s mouth turned into a thin white line. “Give me back my swords, then I’ll leave.” She thought of adding a few expletives, but held back lest she risk not getting her swords at all.

Claudia scoffed, but threw the two closed blades to her, which Rayla caught effortlessly. 

Soren nodded to the two as he and Rayla moved to the entrance. “Father, Clauds….” 

Claudia said nothing, but Viren did. “Travel safely, son.”

Soren looked surprised as he said that, but didn’t reply. Within moments, the two intruders had left the building. 

As soon as they were well and surely gone, Claudia turned to her father. “How could you just let them walk out of here!? With the coins!? They are our enemies!”

Viren gave her a stern look. “The coins were nothing more than memorabilia. They are quite useless to them. And they can only be unlocked by dark magic, which they have sworn never to use again. If anything, this will give them more trouble, giving us another edge over them. And one of those ‘enemies’ is your brother. You would do well to remember that.“ 

Claudia was taken aback by that. “So? He left us, turned on us. Did you know he stabbed your illusory double at the Storm Spire!?” 

Viren rubbed his eyes. “Yes, you’ve told me. I doubt he did it cold-heartedly though… No, your brother has yet a part to play in this cold war with Xadia. Perhaps after he’s seen the treachery of the elves first hand he will come back into our ranks.”

“ ‘Our’ ranks? So you’re staying?” Claudia’s tone was hopeful, but Viren’s look shattered that hope immediately. 

“No, I am leaving. We’ve talked about this…”

Claudia let out a growl in frustration. “No, you wrote about this in your last letter. I bet you were also planning to leave without waiting for my personal reply!” 

He frowned. “Do you really think so little of me?” 

“Agh, no, but...dad! I’ve...we’ve….” Tears were gathering in Claudia’s eyes. She looked desperate. “Dad, I’ve lost mom in the divorce. I’ve lost Soren at the battle of the Storm Spire…” 

“Well, I wouldn’t really say ‘lost’ is the right word to use.” Viren awkwardly replied.

Claudia ignored her. “And now I have to lose you too!? Why! What have I done wrong!?” She looked at him, tears streaming down her face, clutching her staff as if it could give her any comfort. 

With a sigh, Viren opened his arms and gave Claudia a hug which she hesitantly accepted. He would later reflect that this had probably been the first hug he gave her in years. “Nothing. You’ve done nothing wrong daughter.” After a brief hug he pulled her away a bit so he could hold her, but still look into her eyes. “I’ve set you on a path. A path of greatness. You must follow that path. But I…. I don’t think that same path is the right one for me.” He looked sorrowful as he said that. “I thought I knew everything about dark magic, but I’ve never been as powerful as you are now. And I’ve never stopped to think either, just how deep the corruptive side of the magic is.”

A smile appeared on Claudia’s face as he complimented her, but as Viren mentioned the corruption, Claudia interrupted. “Dad, we talked about it. It’s just a small price to pay for doing powerful magic!”

“But what if it isn’t? What if there’s more to it?” He sighed and let go of his daughter. “I’m rambling. I’m sorry. All I’m going to do is to go to Del Bar and see if this council knows something about dark magic that I don’t.”

Claudia sniffled a bit. “And when you’ve learned about that… will you then get back here?”

Viren smiled. “Of course.”

Claudia opened her arms. She hadn’t felt a hug like that in a while, and wanted another one. “Promise?” 

Viren hugged his daughter tightly. “Promise.” he lied. 

-/-/-/-

The Storm Spire seemed to beckon him as he approached it from the air. _It’s my home...away from home anyway…_ After all that had transpired at the temple, he felt exhausted, nervous, and excited all at the same time. Thousands of different thoughts had kept him company during the few days he had flown back here. He was nervous, unsure of himself and everything he had done these past few weeks. But he knew one thing; _I want to be back in her arms again._

He swooped down, expected to be greeted by the white-haired moonshadow elf any second now. Instead, he dodged to the right as something small, fast and pointy sped past his head. “What the-!?” 

In view came a young, colourful skywingelf, holding a bow and looking apologetically. “Hey Callum! Sorry about that.” Pincealo said as she flew up next to him.

Callum puffed, but restrained himself. He didn’t want to come off as rude by shouting at one of the dragonguard. “It’s okay. Accidents happen, right?”

“Oh, it wasn’t an accident!” She replied as she saw his expression turn into shock. “Em… Orris said to give you a warning shot.” 

“Orris?” Callum thought hard. He had heard the name before. _Didn’t Rayla write about him in one of her letters?_ “He’s one of the new dragonguard, right?”

She nodded. “Yeah, he’s a bit...excited. I’m on guard duty with him right now. He says you’re an intruder and that you need to surrender to him right away.” She pointed downwards to the spire where, on top of the plateau, a tall, dark skinned elf stood, clad in golden armor and holding a glowing red sword.

Callum swallowed. “That’s not right. I used to come here all the time! Where’s Rayla?” 

“She’s on holiday. She didn’t feel so well, so the king and queen gave her some time off. She’ll be back in a week though!” Pincealo gave him a bright smile, as if that would make everything right again.

“A week…” _I suppose I could come back in a week...but where would I go in the meantime?_ He thought about it. Calatheas, the capital of Duren, was closest, but by the time he got there, he would have to fly back again. Callum looked down at the elf again, who seemed to grow impatient, swinging his sword. _Yeah, no, he’s definitely looking for a fight._ Callum made up his mind.

“I’m sorry, I think this is a bad time for me to be here. I’ll just come back when Rayla is here again.” Callum beat his wings a bit harder to put a little distance between him and the skywingelf, but as he did, her bow swiveled around, the arrow pointing straight at his face.

“I’m sorry Callum. But he really ordered me to make sure you surrendered yourself to him. So please do.” Her voice was a bit shaky as she continued. “Please, I don’t want to kill you. You’re nice.” 

“So why do you listen to that guy then!? You were here longer than him. Don’t you outrank him or something!?” Callum felt his stomach turning. He felt like he had flown into a very dangerous and potentially explosive situation. He remembered how most elves treated him during his studies. He felt like some of the dragonguard wouldn’t do any differently. _They’d probably do worse than that, now that Rayla’s not around._

Pincealo shrugged, still aiming her bow. “I’m on duty with him and...I don’t know, he’s very persuasive. Just go down there please? I’m sure once you explain who you are, everything will be alright!”

Callum narrowed his eyes. He thought the reply was a strange one. _Did the other dragonguard force her to do this?_ He wondered about it, but it was clear there wasn’t going to be a clean way out of this situation. “Alright, I’m coming down.” 

Very gently Callum flew down to the top of the Spire, making sure to make no sudden movements. As soon as he landed, he folded his wings, but didn’t dismiss them, in case he needed a quick escape. Orris stuck the sword in the ground next to him as he gleefully regarded Callum.

“So, you’ve decided to surrender eh? Very wise. Careless of you, flying around the tower like that. What, thought we didn’t have eyes in the sky to catch a human spy like you?”

Callum looked at Orris like he’d grown a second head. He wasn’t sure how to respond to such nonsense. When Callum didn’t respond, Orris continued.

“Alright dispel your wings and come quietly. If you do that, I _may_ let you live.” 

“Hold up hold up hold up…. _Who_ are you exactly?” Callum’s left wing pointed at Orris in a manner that seemed to offend him. 

“I am Orris, champion of the sunfire elves and currently the highest ranking dragonguard at the Spire.” He growled, pulling the sword out of the ground with a crunch.

“Well, technically we’re all the same rank. Rayla is the only one with a higher rank, because she’s- “ Pincealo rambled as she had flown down next to Orris, who swooshed his sword in front of her to silence her. 

“Quiet! The human doesn’t need to know

Callum looked at the two, really regretting that Rayla was not here. “Right, I’m here, I’ve landed. I’m looking for Rayla. Pincealo said she wasn’t around?” Callum said casually. After his time with Soren and the elves in the Temple, he had no problems recognizing a bully. And Orris was definitely one.

“No she’s not human! And I don’t see why you would get to see her anyway! Now surrender, or taste my blade!” Orris took a fighting stance as Callum backed up a little.

“Orris, please! I’ve told you, this is Callum! He’s …. He’s special to our captain!” Pincealo had her hands in front of her mouth, afraid of the two coming to blows. Orris pretty much ignored her pleas as he waited for Callum to respond.

Callum weighed his options. _It would be easy to fly away. I doubt Orris has any long-distance magic. But Pincealo would be forced to shoot at me, and I bet her aim is perfect, being a dragonguard…_ He thought for a bit, before letting his wings down, no longer covering his chest protectively. “I think...I’ll do neither.”

“What!?” 

Callum had enough of being bullied around, and he thought that Orris was bluffing anyhow. If not, Callum figured he could do some sparring, seeing if he could keep his distance. And if he couldn’t, he would just jump off the spire and pray that Pincealo wouldn’t shoot him. “I’m here for Rayla, not for spying or for anything else. I’ve been here enough times to know that I used to be welcome here. The queen probably knows me as well. So I really don’t think you’re going to use that weapon on me. I think you’re bluffing!”

Orris’ snear suddenly turned into a sickly grin. “Wrong choice human. I’ve slayed countless of your kind. You’re just another one to fall before me!” Orris’ form changed, with red-hot cracks appearing all over his skin. And with that, he charged at Callum, sword at the ready for a sideward swing.

Callum already saw what was happening as Orris was monologuing. He made ready, and as soon as Orris moved, he drew the rune. “Aspiro!” A mighty gale erupted from Callum as he blew at Orris. The elf did not expect this and was thrust backwards. As he hit the ground, he rolled on to his stomach and made himself small, trying to avoid most of the wind. 

Pincealo was hit by the gale as well. “Eeep!” She exclaimed as the winds launched her off the plateau. She quickly spread her wings to keep her in the air. 

“Stupid...magic...tricks!” Orris grunted as he got up and rushed at Callum again. Callum now jumped backward, off the plateau as well and flew into the air. “Come back here and fight!”

“Why would I do that?” Callum exclaimed. “You would skewer me with your sword!” 

“Exactly! Some come here and have it!” Orris held up his sword in the air in a challenging way, pointed straight at Callum.

Callum’s only safe option was to fly away, or try to talk to this bonehead. But he liked neither of those options and he had enough of being pushed around. A dark look crossed Callum’s eyes as he thought of his next move. “Alright, suit yourself.” With a large arc, Callum sped downward, then upward again, moving to the other side of the plateau so that there still was some distance between him and Orris. As soon as he landed, he dismissed his wings and cast a rune that formed a large, swirling circle. “Zephyr Clypeus!” 

Orris charged him as soon as he landed and struck, but as soon as his sword got near Callum, it got repelled as swirling winds surrounded Callum in a small bubble and Orris had to strain himself to keep his grip on his sword. He grunted and struck again, but again, the sword got repelled like it hit some sort of shield. “Impossible! Nothing can stop a sunforged blade!”

Callum shrugged. “Well, this apparently can. So can we now-”

“Die!” Orris grabbed the sword with both hands and thrust it in the wind-globe, straining to keep it straight and pointed at Callum. It felt like he’s pushing through wood and stone, but slowly, the sword was moving inwards.

Alarmed, Callum took a step backwards but the winds of the globe kept him inside as well. “Oh heck!” He started to draw the Aspiro rune to blow Orris away, but then remember his lessons at the temple; wind spells could not enter or exit a wind shield spell. Panic overtook him as Orris strained to get his sword further inside the small globe. Within seconds, the sword would be close enough to skewer him. With very little wiggle room now, he drew another rune. As the sword got closer to his throat, he let go of the gathered magic. “Fulminis!” 

Lightning erupted from Callum’s hand and impacted Orris at nearly point-black range. As the power coursed through him, he fell to his knees, letting go of his sword, which was promptly ejected by the wind-globe and flung off the mountain. 

Seeing Orris’ form smoking and on his knees, Callum suddenly wondered if he had pushed things too far. The spell was powerful enough to kill. _Oh damn, what if I had killed him by accident!?_ He regretted his rushed decision and knelt down next to him. “Are you alright?”

Without answering, Orris leapt up and put his hands around Callum’s throat. Callum tried to back away, but could not escape his grasp. He clawed at Orris’ hands, but to no avail. Panic crept into Callum as he saw the burning hatred in this Sunfire elf’s eyes, their faces inches apart. Callum couldn’t breath and fought for breath as Orris spoke. “I told you I would kill you.” 

With a snap, Orris was suddenly yanked upwards and backwards, as another force wound itself around Callum’s waist and drew him in the opposite direction. Callum felt nails scraping at his neck as the hands left his throat. He was hoisted in the air. As he looked at his waist, he saw a giant stone hand holding him in place, and the same was true for Orris on the opposite side of the plateau. And there, near the stairway, Callum saw another dragonguard, one he recognized as Bosor who had his hands placed firmly down into the stone. 

“Are the two of you quite done yet!?” His dignified voice held a cold anger as Bosor, dressed in full armour and helmet glared at the two combatants. 

“Wuaargh! Bosor! You dare use magic against a fellow dragonguard!?” Ossir raged and struggled against the stone, but was quite powerless. Callum’s mind was already going through a list of things that could break this spell, but he figured it was probably a good thing Bosor interrupted them. Behind Bosor, Callum could now see the rest of the guard watching. He could also feel the giant stone fist slowly crushing him.

“I asked, are you two done?” Bosor strengthened his hold on the spell, his hands still digging in the stone of the mountain. 

“I’m done, I’m done!” Callum quickly shouted. He thought he deserved a far better welcome, but right now he would be lucky if he survived for the next few minutes. 

Orris said nothing, but his body slackened and he just grimaced in their general direction.

Bosor slowly let go of his spell. Callum and Orris were set down on the ground, and several dragonguard rushed to their sides. Callum noticed they all had their weapons drawn. It was Catlyn who was standing next to him.

“You alright?” She asked waringly, unsure whether either of the two would want to start the fight again.

“Yeah, I’m okay.” Callum got up and adjusted the strap of his satchel. He looked at Orris, who was helped up by a rather large earthblood elf who looked to be a motherly figure. Orris brushed her off and said something. He couldn’t hear what it was, but it couldn’t have been kind, judging by the face the earthblood elf pulled. “So, there’s some new faces here…”

Catlyn nodded. “Yes, though at least _one of them_ still needs to learn his place in the guard.” 

Bosor approached Callum. He couldn’t see the elves face as it was covered by his helmet, but the eyes that peered at him through the slits looked harsh. “What happened?” 

“Eh, well...I was going to visit Rayla, when Pincealo said I had to land, and this Sunfire elf was being rude, so…” 

“So you started a fight?” Bosor crossed his arms. 

“What!? No! He threatened to kill me and said I should just surrender! I just wanted to visit Rayla!”

“I believe that part.” Catlyn piped in. “But why didn’t you just fly away when Orris attacked you? Should be easy for you with all that magic.” She said this with a slight grin, but Callum could see that there was an honest question in there.

“Well… I... “ He sighed deeply and looked at the elves around him. Bosor was stoic as ever, but Catlyn seemed to look out for him. Pincealo was hovering in the background, looking nervous. The other elves were with Orris, who was still fuming. “I was tired of getting pushed around… and Pincealo would shoot me if I would flee anyhow.” 

Bosor’s head whipped around to Pincealo who was looking quite pale now. “Is that true Pincealo?”

“Yes…” Pincealo said nothing else, but looking down at the ground, holding her bow protectively.

“Orris said she had to!” Callum quickly said, hoping that this would back her up.

“Really…” Catlyn was shooting daggers at Orris, who was now finally calming down, the red cracks on his skin disappearing.

Bosor motioned for them to follow him as he approached Orris. “Did you start the fight Orris?” 

“What do you mean!? This human came flying into our domain unannounced! Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t take him down!”

“Because he is the prince of Katolis.” Bosor answered him, crossing his arms.

Orris scoffed. “And how am I supposed to know that!? To me, he’s just another human!” 

Catlyn got up close to him. “That’s bullshit and you know it! There’s only one human that can fly, and I imagine that Pincealo would have told you exactly who he was anyway, right?” Catlyn looked to Pincealo, who was nodding furiously.

Now Orris growled. “Yes, so I might have known that it was the human brat, so what? I wouldn’t have killed him anyway, just roughed him up a little.” 

“I find that hard to believe.” Bosor replied. “However, my belief is irrelevant. It is the captain who should decide what to do with this.” 

“What!? You’re gonna tattle on me!?” A look of hatred and pure disgust crossed Orris’ face. It was clear that things were going poorly for him, but there was little that he could do about it.

“You must take responsibility for your actions, especially as a dragonguard.” Bosor then turned to Callum. “The captain isn’t here. Since you are royalty, and a known guest, I will offer the guestrooms for your use until she does return, though I would advise you to write in advance the next time you come to visit.” 

Callum rubbed the back of his head, looking a bit sheepish. “Yeah, I suppose… sorry about that.”

Bosor nodded, continuing. “Furthermore, the dragonguard will ensure your safety during your stay. As such, Catlyn will be your personal bodyguard until the captain returns.”

Callum was surprised by this and looked at the moonshadow elf, who was grinning at him, looking forward to spending time with the captain’s lover. “Eeeh...okay?” 

“Now, everyone, back to your post!” Bosor bellowed as the elves all moved back down the stairs. Orris bumped into Callum with his shoulder before being pushed down the stairs harshly by Bosor who had noticed. Orris nearly fell, but steadied himself. He said nothing, just gave a hateful look back in their direction. “Watch out for that one.” Bosor whispered as he passed Callum. “He’s a great warrior, but he has a dark heart.” 

“Noted.” Callum said as Bosor moved in front of him. Now it was just him and Catlyn standing on top of the stairs as the rest disappeared around the bent. “So...I guess we should follow?” 

Catlyn ignored his remark but was still grinning. “Well, it looks like you and I are going to spend some time together!” She put her arm around his shoulders as she guided him down the stairs. “And then you can tell me all about the captain and what the two of you have been writing to each other.” 

Callum groaned.

-/-/-/-

“Hey, little elf-girl, wait up!” Soren rushed after Rayla on his horse, which had a hard time keeping up with the elf’s cat-mount. _Geez, what’s with her? We’re no longer in danger, right?_

Rayla didn’t listen, but pushed her shadowpaw onwards, towards the oasis where they met up. She considered checking the purse sooner, but she didn’t want to be anywhere near the city in case Viren changed his mind. It took the rest of the day to reach the oasis again, both mounts protesting heavily as they had to run in the burning desert sun. As soon as they entered the oasis, Rayla dismounted, fastened her mount to a tree and grabbed the purse.

“Wow, what is with that? Are you alright?” Soren asked. “I thought we weren’t supposed to ride in the desert during the day.”

“I don’t care! I want to know what these coins are!” Rayla held up the small bag. “Runaan could be in there.”

Soren blinked. “Who’s Runaan?” 

“He’s my stepdad. He took care of me when my parents joined the dragonguard. He’s the one who trained me…” Rayla was surprised when her eyes started to tear up. She could feel that she was close to something, perhaps to seeing him again! But how could such a small satchel ever hold the key to seeing Runaan again?

“So, you’re saying he’s… in there?” Soren was about to poke the satchel when Rayla pulled it back, out of his reach. 

“Yes..no… I mean, I don’t know! All I know is that he’s not dead, and Viren said that he...he stored his energy in coins or something.”

“Father said that? You know that he’s a liar, right?” 

Rayla visibly deflated. _What if it was just a set with decorated coins? What if they were an illusion?_ “I know…” She sat down against a tree. Soren sat down next to her.

“Well, let’s see those coins. The sooner we find out what they are, the better.” He gave her a smile, and to his surprise, Rayla smiled back at him, though weakly.

“Definitly more than a dumb oaf.” she muttered as she started working on the knots keeping the satchel closed. As it opened, she took a deep breath and very gently let the contents slide on the ground in front of her. There, on the ground, were a handful of coins, six to be exact. Rayla blinked as she didn’t quite believe what she saw. 

“They have faces on them!” Soren exclaimed. He very much wanted to grab one and take a closer look, but he refrained, noticing the scared look Rayla had on her face. “Are you alright?” 

Rayla didn’t respond. With a shaking hand she grabbed one and brought it closer to her face. Looking back at her was the terrified face of a moonshadow elf. The face moved and the eyes sought suddenly hers. “Wha!” Rayla dropped the coin and immediately felt sorry that she did.

“What was it?” Soren was burning with curiosity and grabbed the coin as it rolled away. “Hey, it moves! Neat!” He turned to Rayla, who was now breathing heavily. “It’s like a painting or an engraving, but a moving one!” 

“Soren, I-I think… I think Viren captured souls in these coins. They’re not engravings, they are actual people in there!”

Soren blanched and dropped the coin like it was glowing red hot. 

Rayla lurged forward and caught it before it hit the hard, stone ground. As she looked at it again, the face did not give an indication that it noticed what had transpired. It still looked just as terrified. It did seem to notice Rayla however and again sought out her eyes. 

“Do...do you know her? Him? It?” Soren moved closer and also looked at the coin. 

Rayla swallowed. “No.. no I don’t. It’s definitely a moonshadow elf though. Probably a woman, judging by the hair.... Where do you think Viren caught this one?”

Soren shrugged. “He traveled a lot, and did some incursions into Xadia. I imagine he had many enemies there…”

Rayla didn’t reply, but nodded. “I’ll try to get you out.” She said to the coin. It gave no sign that she heard or understood Rayla, but kept eye contact until Rayla put the coin back in the bag. “I’ll have to check the others. One of them has got to be Runaan.” She grabbed the next one, but it was another moonshadow elf she didn’t recognize. She sighed and put it in the bag. Then another one. She took a quick look. _Not Runaan…._ She was about to put it away when something clicked in her head. She looked better now. The short, wavy hair, the split tattoo’s under his eyes, and the braid on his right side… “Da! It’s Da!” With wide open eyes, Rayla stared at the coin like she couldn’t believe what she saw. 

“Da? You mean like dada?” 

“I mean, it’s my father! My dad!” Tears welled up in Rayla’s eyes again as she looked at the face of her father. It wasn’t terrified, more defiant. However, as the face glanced in her direction, it looked surprised, and it gave her a sad smile. “He can see me!” Rayla put a hand in front of her mouth as she was sobbing, trying to hold the coin steady in her shaking hand as she was looking at it.

“So...your father was captured by Viren as well?” Soren didn’t quite understand how that could be. “It’s a small world after all…” he muttered.

“But..but that could mean…!” With her other hand she quickly grabbed another coin. This one she recognized immediately. “Runaan! Oh Runaan!” The face that was looking back at her was both defiant and fearful. He seemed to recognize her, but the face showed no smile, just disbelief. Rayla quickly put the coin in her other hand, together with her da’s and grabbed another one. This one she didn’t recognize. _Another moonshadow elf…_ She gulped as she put this one in the satchel and eyed the last coin with trepidation. _Please, oh please let it be ma...._ She picked it up and slowly brought it closer, wiping away the tears with the palm of her other hand so she could see clearly. As soon as she saw the face, her eyes teared up again. “Ma, it _is_ you! Oh ma…” Her mother’s face looked back at her, surprised and smiling nervously.

Soren said nothing anymore. He now recognized the significance of the moment and waited for Rayla to take her time. 

Rayla had the coins lying in her hands, face up, looking at them. She could only see their faces. They looked happy, but afraid as they looked back at her. Rayla saw their mouths moving, like they were trying to tell her something, but she couldn’t make sense of it. She sat there for a few minutes. “I’ll get you out, I promise.” she said softly to them. Then she carefully put them back into the satchel and placed it securely within her armor. “I need to go back. Right now.”

“So...you know how to get them out?” Soren asked. 

Rayla shook her head. “No, but Callum might. He’s a mage after all.” Rayla was already thinking ahead. “I just need to get to him. But I don’t know the way to the temple. The dragon king might though, or maybe some of the other dragonguard.” 

“Right…” Soren stood there awkwardly. “So, I guess we part ways here then?” 

Rayla looked at Soren and only now realized that while her part of the mission was a success, Soren had left empty handed. He looked a bit lost. “Oh Soren, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that Claudia didn’t want to come with you.” She hesitated for a moment, then moved in for a hug. 

Soren gingerly accepted it. “Yeah...yeah I know. Clauds can be real stubborn at times.”

“What will you do?” Rayla asked as she moved away from him.

“Go back and protect the king I suppose. I tried, and hopefully in the future, Claudia will see that we really can be friends with the elves.” He looked at her. “And with you as well.” 

Rayla laughed a bit. “That’s a long shot, but who knows?” She looked up as the sun was now setting in the west. “I should go. My shadowpaw should have the strength to cross the border to Xadia before the mornin’ comes.”

“I figured you would want to rush back. That’s alright. I’ll make my own way back. I know the way from here.” Soren grabbed some food from his pack and started to munch. “Goodluck Rayla. Say hi to Callum from me!” 

Rayla smiled at him. “Thanks. And thank you for your help.”

Soren winked at her. “Anytime!” And with that, Rayla jumped on her shadowpaw and raced into the desert. Soren reflected that Callum had really gotten himself a beautiful, strong and willful elf as his girlfriend. He hoped that Callum was smart enough to never do anything to make her mad. 

-/-/-/-

Claudia watched her father leave from the balcony. He sped away on a black horse towards the sunset. She clinged desperately to the promise that he’d return some day, but she didn’t know how long he would be gone. Del Bar was far away and she knew that she wouldn’t be seeing her father for a long time. 

Frustrated, she went inside and went over her notes. She had been leading the True Light for months now. It wasn’t all fun and games. Some of the members had become powerful mages in their own right, who had taken up training the others so that she could spend more time working on their plan to vanquish Xadia. She could be proud, and yet… _I never wanted to do this alone…._

As if on cue, the flapping of wings announced that another being had landed on the balcony. Claudia turned around to see Aaravos’ bugform walking inside. “So, Viren has decided to leave us. Pity.” 

Claudia couldn’t hear by the voice if it was a sincere remark. “He might come back you know. He just wanted to figure out some stuff about dark magic.” She stared off into the distance. “He’s always been like that. Even when he was together with mom, he would sometimes just run off and be gone for weeks, only to return with some rare ingredient or some new spell…” _It’s what broke them in the end,_ she thought.

“Perhaps…” Aaravos replied doubtfully. “In any case, you are in charge now, fully and completely. The Heart of a Dragon is almost complete, it just lacks a few key ingredients…” 

“Well, I don’t care about that now. I don’t want to do this all by myself.” She gave Aaravos a long, hard look. “Did you mean what you said before?”

The bug just stared at her. “About what?”

“About helping me get my friend back.”

“Oh, that? Yes, of course! I’m happy to help you, if you think he is the person you need to proceed with our plans.” The bug glowered, but there was an underlying threat in the way he emphasised that they needed to proceed with said plans.

Claudia recognized the tone. “Callum is a very talented mage. He could do magic just by seeing someone else do it!” She remembered with some pain the time they stood against each other, where Callum cast dark magic for the first time, without any instruction. Though the memory hurt because of their shattered friendship, she was also proud and suspected Callum had hidden talents and capabilities far beyond her own. “We need him on our side.”

The bug was silent for a moment, regarding the human in front of him. He fluttered his wings, stretching them, seemingly coming to a conclusion. “I have heard of him through whispers and rumours. I’d be delighted to meet the boy in person.”

Claudia smiled. “Good. Now tell me, how fast can you get me to the Storm Spire?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: New one’s up!
> 
> Concerning the story; Well, I’m curious where you all think this is going to go. I have seen similar story lines, but I’d wager that what I have planned is original stuff. Things will get very tense in the coming chapters, so the true Rayllum lovers might have to hang on for dear life! It’s going to be one hell of a ride!
> 
> Concerning the update schedule; Suffice to say that the various things in life had left me exhausted at the start of the summer holiday and in need of a break. There’s nothing more to it really. I took my break, and now I’m back. I’ve already completed the next chapter as well, so I should be good for a regular update schedule again. 
> 
> I hope that you all enjoyed reading this, and that most of you are still following this story despite the long break in updates. Above all, stay safe, stay healthy! Cheers!


	7. Love and Duty

The Storm Spire came in sight long before Rayla actually reached the base of it. As she approached the Spire, she went over her plan. _So, I need to get to Callum. Technically, I have five days left of my time off. Callum wrote it was a two day flight to the Areo temple…_ She did a mental calculation. _I can ride longer than he can fly, but he can pass obstacles like cliffs and ravines whereas I need to go around them… I’ll have to check a map to see what route to take. But if I’m lucky, I might just make it!_

As she reached the base of the spire, she searched for any sign of the dragonguard. She hoped that Pincealo would be on guard duty, but as she reached the Spire, it appeared she had no such luck. No doubt the dragonguard had spotted her, but she couldn’t relay a message from this far down. _It doesn’t matter,_ she thought. _My shadowpaw is too tired to continue today anyway._ She released the beast of it’s saddle and scratched it behind the ears. It gave her a mournful look. “Aw, look at you. You did great! Thank you so much for bringing me here so fast!” 

The shadowpaw just looked at her and gave a grumpy noise, but it seemed to enjoy the scratches. Rayla smiled and grabbed some jerky from the saddlebags. “Here you go. You’ll need your strength. We’re going on another long trip tomorrow.” The beast hungrily attacked the jerky and gave no other inclination that it understood her, seemingly content with the food she gave him. 

Rayla sighed and started the long climb upwards. After half an hour of climbing stairs, she came to the first checkpoint. She wasn’t surprised when she saw that Bosor was waiting for her. “Hey Bosor.” She said casually.

Bosor looked stoic, his expression unreadable behind his helmet. “You have returned sooner than expected.”

“Aw, do I hear disappointment in your voice?” Rayla teased him. She didn’t dislike Bosor, but he was stuck-up at times in her opinion.

Bosor shook his head and motioned for her to climb the steps with him. “T’is a good thing that you are here. There has been some strife within the dragonguard.” 

As soon as he said that, Rayla was all business. “Really? What happened?”

“I loathe to badmouth a fellow dragonguard, but… Orris has been stirring up trouble on multiple occasions.”

“Oh for Garlac’s sake… What did the scunner do this time?” _Of course Orris had to do somethin’ while I’m away on a holiday!_

Bosor continued walking up the stairs as he briefed her. “It was mostly just talk. He places himself above the others of the dragonguard because he feels he is the better warrior. I am the only one he fears and respects, but towards the others, he’s demeaning or downright hostile.”

Rayla grimaced. “That bastard! Anythin’ else?” 

When no reply came, Rayla looked at Bosor. His stance showed his uncertainty in continuing. “He… suggested you’ve done various….unsavory things with the e- with humans.”

It took Rayla a while to process what Bosor said Orris was suggesting. “Wait, he did what? He was talkin’ about me and Callum?”

“Well…” Bosor was hesitant to go on. Unfortunately for him, Rayla was now getting angry.

“Spit it out! What did he say!?” 

Bosor sighed heavily. He knew that a storm was coming when he saw Rayla approach the Storm Spire. “He said that you were not worthy to be captain of the dragonguard, because you have a relationship with that human. He also accused you of selling our secrets to the enemy for ‘hugs and kisses’, because you were so undesirable you couldn’t get a proper elf mate yourself.” When Bosor did not hear a response, he turned to look at his captain. Rayla was standing on the stairs, frozen midstep like a statue, her face unreadable. 

“I’m goin’ to kill him.” She said finally and took a few resolute steps upwards. “A’m gonna skin that bastard alive, then throw him off the Spire and stomp on what's left of him!” She sprinted forward, but was stopped by Bosor who grabbed her arm as she passed him.

“Wait. You haven’t heard the worst part…” 

Rayla’s eyes widened slightly. “The worst…!?” _Worse than that!?_ “Well please _do_ tell me what the worst part is then!”

“A few days ago, the prince of Katolis came here to visit you, unannounced. Orris was-” 

Rayla grabbed Bosor to steady herself. “Callum’s here!?” Her heart couldn’t believe it. _He was here! Oh, please, let him still be here!_

“Yes, the prince is here, but Rayla. Orris challenged him for a fight as he arrived, unprovoked. The prince fought back. In the fight, they both tried to kill each other.” 

This send Rayla’s mind reeling. “Oh no…No, that’s bad! A foreign prince attacking a dragonguard…” Her happiness was suddenly replaced with a large knot of worry in her stomach.

Bosor saw what was happening and tried to ease her out of it. “Don’t worry. Most of the dragonguard vouched for Callum. It was clear that Orris was provoking him. To that end, I’ve pulled him off guard duty until you returned, so that you could decide what to do with him.” 

Rayla let out a sigh of relief. “Right, so the dragonguard won’t make an issue out of it?”

Bosor shook his head. “No, and neither will the king and queen, though the king did request you take the incident seriously and handled it with care.”

 _Oh, I’ll handle the scunner with care alright,_ she thought as she cracked her knuckles. “Alright. Okay, I think I understand the situation. But Callum is waiting for me upstairs?” She asked the last part hopefully. 

Bosor gave her a disapproving stare. “...yes, the human prince is waiting in the Spire, though he doesn’t know you’ve arrived yet.” 

“Alright then, let’s go!” And with that, Rayla set a quick and steady pace, one even a warrior such as Bosor had trouble keeping up with. 

-/-/-/-

Callum was sitting outside on the Spire in the afternoon sun, sitting cross legged on the floor, sketchbook in his lap. It was his most prized possession and the only thing keeping him sane while he waited for Rayla to come back from her holiday. Catlyn was hovering nearby, a fact that he had gotten used to these last few days, but it still annoyed him at times.

“So...are you going to let me see those?” Catlyn pointed to the book with her dagger. She had been playing with it out of boredom. 

“No! I’ve told you, they are private.” Callum closed the book halfway, hoping it would stop her from peeking. He wasn’t viewing anything sensitive anyway, just some pictures of Rayla doing fighting moves.

“Rayla showed me hers…” She replied, looking at her fingernails.

“What!? Why would she…. Ugh. Look, I get that this all seems very interesting to you, but I just want some privacy, alright?” Callum gave her a frustrated look.

Catlyn still didn’t look at him, but smiled sweetly, like she knew something he didn’t. “You know, I think it’s going to be a lovely afternoon today. Would be perfect for a romantic reunion, wouldn’t you say?”

Now Callum had lost her completely. He frowned. “What on earth are you talking abo-”

“Callum!”

Callum’s head whipped around at the sound of that voice. On the other side of the bridge leading to the Spire he could see a small figure rushing towards him. A familiar slender figure with white hair and purple eyes. “Rayla!” He got up, dropping his book on the ground. He took a few shaky steps in her direction, not quite believing that she was here after being away from her for over six months. 

“Oh Callum, Callum! I’m so glad you’re back!” Rayla crossed the distance and rushed towards him, wrapping her arms around him. 

Callum returned the hug intensely, feeling safe and home in her arms. “I’m here Rayla, I’m here.” The world around them seems to disappear as they are only mindful of each other. Their hug lasted for a long time, Rayla softly stroking Callums back, while Callum used his hand to softly croo her in the back of the neck. Rayla found she liked this and leaned back into his hand.

They are brought out of their hug by the sound of a dragonguard snickering at the display. As Rayla turned her head without letting go of her human, she saw Catlyn looking at them with a broad smile on their face. “What are you lookin’ at?”

Instead of apologizing, Catlyn just laughed. “Alright, I’ll give you two lovebirds some privacy!” And with that, she moved back inside the spire, glad that the prince was now safe in the hands of her captain again. 

Rayla looked back at her lover. “Some people huh?” 

Callum just laughed. “Yeah, some people…” But he found that he didn’t mind that their display was public for one bit. He kissed her then, and Rayla responded just as passionately. “I’ve missed you so much…” He whispered to her mouth.

“I’ve missed you too, my sweet prince.” Her eyes were half closed as she kissed him on the cheek and hugged him again. 

Eventually, after a long time standing outside and just being together, they decided to get inside so they could tell each other all about their half-year apart, at least, the bits they never bothered to put to paper. However, as they moved to the entrance, Orris was standing there, leafing through Callum’s sketchbook with a snarl on his face.

“Is this true _captain?”_ he said as he spat the word. “Are you really together with this...this scum?” Orris was seething. He looked like he was going to rip the book in half.

Callum was nervous, not because he thought Orris would beat them up, but because that book meant the world for him. Rayla however, looked like she was going to explode.

“Orris, yer in trouble. Bosor told me all about yer little stunt when Callum arrived.” 

Orris didn’t look surprised. “Of course Bosor would tattle on me, the goody two-shoes. Look, I did what I had to do to protect the spire from...from human filth like that there!” He said as he waved the hand holding the book in Callum’s direction. “And seeing these pictures in the book… Frankly, it’s disgusting! How can they call you Rayla of Xadia when you are in love with the enemy!?” 

Rayla clenched her teeth. “Ya got some nerve. Callum did na do anything to ya to deserve yer ire, yet yer treetin’ him like shite! Between da two of ya, yer the real bastard!” 

Orris was taken aback by that, both by her words and the fury in her eyes. “You...can’t be serious!”

“Oh, but A am Orris. Now give Callum his book back. We’ll talk later!” She gave him a seething look that brooked no room for argument.

Orris hesitated, then weakly threw the book in Callum’s direction before storming off. 

Rayla watched him go, before bending over to grab the book and handing it to a stunned looking Callum. “Sorry ‘bout that. He’s a handful. Needs to be handled sooner rather than later.” 

Callum nodded. “What happened to him that he hates humans so much?”

She shrugged. “Who knows.” She grabbed his hand. “I really don’t want to deal with this right now. I want to be with you.” She gave him her best smile, which was impressive, given the tirade she just gave her fellow dragonguard.

Callem saw her smile, a slight tremble in her lips, like she was really putting up a brave face and he wondered what she had gone through these last six months. _What hasn’t she told me in the letters?_ He felt her fingers slip in hers, the missing finger still feeling odd, but slightly comforting as well. “Lets get inside.”

-/-/-/-

A few days had passed since Viren left the temple in Valros behind him. He traveled south along the shores of the Tempest Sea, a relatively small stretch of water that lay in between Neolandia and Del Bar. The transition from one country into the next wasn’t quite clear. There were no checkpoints. When the pentargy was united, there was no need for them, and when it crumbled there had been no one to enforce them. 

Despite this, it did become noticeable gradually when Viren entered Del Bar. As soon as he had left the beaches behind them, the climate became colder. The hot sun made way for cloudy skies, and the land was either large swaths of forest or seas of green grass. Del Bar looked like a place where very few humans lived, but Viren knew that the opposite was true. You just had to know where to look for them. 

He traveled onwards on a smallish, muddy road,, going further south towards the capital. It was on the third day of his travel that he saw his first sign of life. Or rather, it surprised him unpleasantly as three bandits stepped from behind the trees and surrounded Viren and his horse.

“Good Day to ya sir. What a fine day to travel, init?” A simple looking man with an unshaven face looked at Viren and smiled. His teeth were yellow and stained. Viren thought that personal hygiene was probably not high on the list for this one.

“Ah...yes, I suppose it is a fine day for a ride.” Viren said as he eyed the three strangers. He immediately knew that he was in some danger. The one on the left was holding a club, and the one on the right was holding a crossbow. The one who greeted him didn’t appear to have any weapons, but Viren deduced that meant he probably had a dagger hidden underneath his cloak somewhere. “Is there a particular reason for bothering an old man on his journey?”

“Yes there is sir! You see, Del Bar is in a bit of a pickle. Ever since da king lost his life, roads are a bit unsafe ta travel. We simple folk have taken it upon ourselves to make sure that no accidents happen to innocent travelers such as yourself.” The man gestured towards Viren with his toothpick.

“Well, I must say, that is mighty generous of you.” The sarcasm was dripping off that statement as Viren fingered his staff, getting ready to do a show of power if necessary. “Might I surmise that this generosity comes at a certain...price?”

“You, sir, are an extremely educated man!” The man returned with equal sarcasm. “Indeed, to ensure we all get fed properly so we can fight da forces of evil, we require toll from passerby’s.” 

“And how much would that amount to, dear sir.” Viren figured that if worse came to worst, he could use the trickle of power left in his staff to scare them. He didn’t know if he could cast a harmful spell with it though. He didn’t even know if he was up to casting something like that after months of not doing dark magic. 

Now all three of the persons seemed to be grinning. “Just all da gold on yer person, sir.” 

“Ah, I see. That is going to be a problem.” Viren replied calmly and collected. The grins immediately faded, and he saw the person with the crossbow slowly bring it to bear. “You see, I am a dark mage on the run from Duren.” When he saw their confused looks, he added; “I took a bit of a detour through Neolandia, that’s true, but I have urgent business with the Council in Barukhold and I really, really hate to be held up by the likes of you.” Viren extended his staff and brought it to bear. The bandits seemed hesitant now, looking at their leader who was sizing Viren up.

“...naa.. Yer lying. Yer just trying ta scare poor folk like us!”

Viren shrugged. “It does not matter to me one way or the other. But tell me this, would you rather be a rat, or a slug?” He swallowed, trying to hide it, and incanted, pointing his staff at the leader while keeping one eye trained at the crossbowman, ready to dodge of he took aim. “Snoisulli gniwolg.” 

The trio gasped as Viren’s eyes glowed a dark purple and black tendrils extended themselves from out of the staff towards the leader, who hurried backwards. “Shite! It’s da real deal! I’m sorry sir! I dinna mean no harm!” the leader pleaded as the tendrils seemed to move around him slowly.

“Oh really? It did look like you were going to take a poor man’s gold.”

“I-I-I’m sorry sir! I should’ve known better!” The sound of boots confirmed that the other two bandits chose not to confront the dark mage, having fled back into the forest. 

Viren gritted his teeth. “Then know better now. Spread the word to your ilk. If anyone crosses my path, it will be _their_ undoing!” The tendrils retracted themselves, though the glowing eyes remained. 

The bandit leader took a few shaky steps towards the trees. “T-Thank you sir! I-I will!” And with that, he ran away. 

Once everything was quiet, Viren dropped the spell. He gasped. He felt the corruption run through his system. As he touched his face, he felt that more cracks now scarred it. It was probably ashen grey again, and he wondered if his eyes were still normal, or if they had turned black as well. “Even the simplest of spells is corruptive…” he muttered as he felt dizziness trying to overtake him. He shuddered to think what a proper harmful dark magic spell would have done to him. His best bet right now was to reach civilization, quickly. He pulled out a cloak to cover his features and trod on towards the capital.

-/-/-/-

Rayla led Callum to her room to avoid the prying eyes of the other dragonguard. She sighed deeply as she closed the door behind her and turned around to face him. Callum stood there awkwardly. 

“So…” he said.

“So…” she said.

An awkward silence ensued where neither one of them was ready to cross the distance. 

“Okay, this is insane.” Callum blurted out eventually. “Why is this awkward!?” He moved closer to her and took her hands, which made her smile.

“Probably because we haven’t seen each other in a very long time.” She swung their hands left and right in a playful motion. 

“But we were smooching not five minutes ago!” He exclaimed, still not quite understanding the atmosphere that hung in the room.

Rayla thought for a bit. “Maybe because back there we didn’t think about things? I mean, right now I’m thinkin’ ‘bout how long it’s been since I last saw you. So much has changed. Are you really still the same person? Am I?”

Callum’s eyes widened a bit. “Wow, that’s heavy.” He looked a bit frightened at the prospect of her having changed.

She saw his fear and stepped closer to him, her hands now on his chest, making soothing motions. “Don’t worry dummy. To me you’re still my sweet human prince.” She placed her head against his until she saw him smile again.

“Oh, that’s a relief. A-and to me you’re still my dear, sweet moonberry.” He grinned at her stricken face.

“Callum! That’s awful! I told you to cut it out with the nicknames!” She swatted at him, but he easily dodged her, laughing at her reaction.

“But you love moonberries!”

“Yeah, to eat them, not be called one of them!”

Callum just laughed. “I guess I’ll just keep trying until I find a nickname that sticks.” 

Rayla snickered but gave up on the subject. She sat down on the bed and petted next to her. “Come, sit. I want to hear all about how school was for you!”

He gave a nervous laugh, but sat down next to her anyway. “Right, school, well, let me tell you all about it!” 

For the next few hours, the both of them caught each other up to speed about what has been going on in their lives, and for the most part what they didn’t write in each other's letters. Callum came clean about the bullying, which Rayla had already suspected, and Rayla told him about her trouble with leading the dragonguard, especially Orris. She also confessed that she had some sort of a breakdown a few weeks ago, partly because she wondered if his heart was still in the letters he sent. Callum begrudgingly admitted that he found it hard to keep writing long love letters as time went by, but he had hoped to compensate by sending more sketches, something he was good at and passionate about. He thought that by showing her the places he lived and trained, she could feel a little bit closer to him. This made her blush as she thought of her doubts back then. _He is so thoughtful! I completely misinterpreted that!_ Slowly, the awkwardness began to fade and they scooted closer, leaning into each other. 

“I’ve missed you, you know that?” Callum said as his fingers ran over hers.

She giggled. “I could have guessed that, dummy.” She kissed him on the cheek. “And it's the same for me. It’s so good to have you back here.” Suddenly, the smile faded a bit. “Will you be stayin’ long? I don’t know how much time off they gave you from your studies.” 

“Euh…. how do I put this.” Callum sat up straighter and scratched the back of his head. “I graduated as a master, technically… I think?” 

Rayla’s eyebrows shot up. “You ‘think’?”

He swallowed. They were getting close to discussing…. _that._ “Well, I did some kind of exam, where I had to create a storm. And I aced it!”

“You created a storm!?” She got excited. Rayla always had an appreciation for Callum’s magic. It had saved her on multiple occasions.

“Yeah. I now have these chest markings… Wait, here, I’ll show you!” He stood up and pulled off his shirt.

Rayla gave a whistle as she eyed his markings which covered a large portion of his chest. The eye in the centre looked intimidating. “That’s a lot more than I’ve ever seen a moonshadow elf walk around with. And it’s all part of the spell?”

Callum nodded. He secretly liked that she was admiring his body. He had always been lean and skinny, never muscular, so he had never really felt the pride he felt now. A jolt of electricity went through his system when Rayla suddenly walked up to him and touched his chest, rubbing her thumb along the intricate lines of his markings. 

“Is this the same paint we use?” she asked, referring to the markings the moonshadow elves had on their faces.

“Y-Yeah, master Thorus said something like that I think.” He shivered as her fingers followed the patterns on his chest. Suddenly, she looked up and their eyes met. 

“Oh, sorry! I-I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.” she stammered, a blush on her face.

“You didn’t!” He said hastily. “It...it actually felt pretty good! I mean...it’s okay, I think?” Callum didn’t want her to stop, but didn’t want this to be awkward either. 

Rayla caught on to this. “Well, perhaps later I could….I dunno, give you a massage or somethin’?” Her voice was heavy and alluring, though a bit shaky. She was nervous too. “I mean, if you wanna....” 

Callum swallowed, and he felt a knot of guilt settle in his stomach. He still hadn’t told her why he had left the Aero Temple. “Rayla...there’s something I’ve got to tell you.” 

His serious, concerned tone of voice caught her completely off guard and snapped her out of the moment. “Oh, alright?” 

He put on his shirt and sat down on a chair in front of her, as she sat down on the bed opposite of him. “My master and I had a fight before I left. I...I had just completed the trail. Aced it. He complimented me on it. He said that he would make me a master, or atleast give me a temporary master status so that I could join in on discussion panels with the other teachers. But...but then…” He swallowed hard.

Rayla leaned forward and put her hand on his knee. She could feel him tremble. “Callum… What did he do to you?”

Callum looked up. Rayla saw fear in his eyes. His head looked sweaty. _It's more of what I’ve done to you, Rayla,_ he thought as he looked away. “He...he didn’t do anything. Well, he treated me roughly like a student but that is really besides the point.” He sighed, his head hanging down. “I...I cheated on you Rayla. There was a girl. An elf girl.”

As soon as those words left his mouth, a cold sense of dread settled in Rayla’s stomach, a fear she had been silently harbouring given life at this moment. _No….he… he can’t…_

“She spent a lot of time with me these last few weeks. She was the only elf that was nice to me and gave me hugs. We-” He swallowed. “We watched the stars together one night and-and Thorus caught us cuddling after I came back from the trail.”

Rayla leapt to her feet. “You cuddled with her!?”

“It was her idea…” Callum replied weakly, barely daring to look her in the eyes. She looked furious.

Rayla started to pace the room, gesturing with her arms. “A can’t believe it! So you’re gone six months and ya just decide to smooch the next best elfin that ye come across?”

“Well, I have never actually kissed her…” he stammered. 

She stopped and looked at him. He looked genuinely afraid. A part of her was glad of that. She felt betrayed. But she also knew that this was her first impuls, and she didn’t quite understand how Callum could cheat without kissing someone else. “Ya didn’t smooch?” 

He shook his head.

She looked at him for a long time, deciding if he was telling the truth. “So, what did you do then Callum? You... “ She swallowed. “You cheated. You said you did.” The initial fury began to subside and Rayla felt tears prick in her eyes. 

Callum mumbled a bit, trying to gather his thoughts vocally. “Well..I mean… I did cuddle with her often? And...and I guess I was close to her, a-and when Thorus found us, he said I was cheating and-and-” Callum was on the verge of crying. He had seen the look of betrayal on her face and he felt how much he had hurt her. He felt so guilty! Thorus had said that he was cheating and Aireli confirmed that she wanted to do romantic stuff. Callum just didn’t understand how he was naïve enough to go along in all the hugs and cuddles he shared with that girl. _How could I have been so stupid!_

Rayla was trying to remain calm. She had a hard time following Callum’s train of thought. When he said he cheated, he confirmed all the worst thoughts in her mind, of him sharing intimate moments with another elf. She felt anger and disgust at the thought of another elf kissing him and caressing him. However, the way Callum brought it, it sounded like he didn’t do those things, at least not the kissing part. _So why does he feel guilty?_ “So...you cuddled with her? That’s the most you did with that girl?” she asked for clarification.

Callum nodded weakly. “I’m so sorry Rayla. I know it’s stupid to ask for forgiveness, but please, I don’t want to lose you!” He was sobbing now, the guilt eating away at him. 

“Well...it’s not right for you to do that…” she replied at length.

Silence followed for a bit. She didn’t quite know what to say, but she remembered she had something to tell him as well, but more importantly, something she had wanted to ask him. After a while, she broke the silence first. “There is a way you can make up for it.” 

-/-/-/-

Barukhold was a formidable city. Large stone walls surrounded it and seemed to lock the city in place against the mountainside. Most of the buildings were stone with thatch roofs, giving the city a gritty look. There was no snow in this season, but the temperatures were definitely only slightly above freezing this close to the mountain. The people wore furs and looked hospitable enough, but they did give Viren a wide berth as this cloaked stranger made his way through the crowds, pulling his horse behind him. 

Viren was frustrated. Upon entering the city, he had immediately gone to the palace. However, upon arrival, he could see that the palace was deserted for the most part. There was no royal staff, and no sign of this council of Ziard. Instead, a lot of poor people seemed to occupy the various large rooms, and one of the dining rooms he had once graced with his presence was now converted to a large soup kitchen. All the expensive furniture and decoration had vanished. This perplexed him.

He had asked around of course, but strangely enough he had gotten vague replies. Nobody knew where the council was, and the guards replied that if Viren didn’t know where the council was, then the council didn’t want to be found by him. 

At the end of a long day, he sat himself on a bench near a town square, unsure on how to proceed. There were spells he could use to locate someone, but he didn’t know if he had it in him to cast more dark magic spells. He didn’t have the ingredient anyway. 

It was getting dark when a stranger clad in brown furs approached a desperate Viren. He looked up at the stranger, but couldn’t see his face in the darkness. “What?” he said briskly. “Is there something I can help you with?”

The stranger said nothing for a while, then; “Lord Viren, previously head mage of Katolis?” 

Viren was surprised. “Ah, yes! Yes, that is me! How did you-”

“The council has been expecting you. Follow me.” And with that, the fur-clad stranger turned around and walked away. 

Viren stumbled to his feet, grabbed his horse by the reins and followed him, hopeful that his journey would soon come to an end. 

-/-/-/-

Callum perked up, his knot in his stomach twisting. “Really? H-how can I make it up to you?”

She looked up into his eyes. “You could help me get Runaan back. My parent’s as well.”

He paled, unsure of what she was asking of him. “Rayla… they’re dead…” 

She smiled sadly. “No, they’re not. When I had that breakdown I told you about, I didn’t just visit my home. I also went on a mission.” Feeling restless, she stood up and walked to the mirror. She stared into her own eyes, trying to relive the memories within them. “I discovered that Runaan was still alive, and that Viren had him captive somehow.”

“What!? That other assassin?”

Rayla turned. “He’s my dad, Callum! Or he pretty much was when my parents weren't around to take care of me. He taught me everything I know… Me and Ethari found out he was alive when we saw his flower in the pond. It never sank, it was just floatin’ in there somewhere between the bottom and the surface. So we figured Runaan must be floatin’ between life and death himself.”

When she heard no reply from Callum, she continued. “I went to Neolandia, cause I knew Viren was out there somewhere. On the way, I ran into that knight-friend of yours, Soren. He was lookin’ for Viren as well.”

Callum had stopped sniffling and was listening with rapt attention to Rayla’s story. He wondered why Soren would go out on his own, so far removed from Ezran, but he figured that it was all part of Rayla’s story. He motioned for her to continue. 

“So, with his help, I found Viren’s base rather quickly. Not that they are actually hidin’ where they are mind you. It was us that had to do the hidin’, on account of the entire country being under control of this cult. We snuck in and found Viren’s study… and then Viren found us.” 

“... so what happened?” Callum sounded very concerned. He was glad that Rayla seemed to have made it back in one piece, but it looked like she was carrying a big weight. _Something happened there…_ he thought. He hoped that she would be honest with him as well.

“At first I thought that he would attack us, especially when Claudia came in and cast a spell on Soren, but it turns out he thought he could use me… or use my information or whatever.” She felt guilty herself for even talking with Viren about Xadia. It had been the safest way out of the situation, and she had gotten what she wanted. But had it been worth it? “We ended up talkin’ about the war between the human kingdoms and Xadia and why he fought against us.” She looked up. “I killed him, you know? I killed Viren when I threw him off the Spire...I-I killed a person.”

Callum was confused. “Wait, but, you said you talked to him?”

She nodded. “Apparently, Claudia brought him back. It must have left some scars. He looked worn, thin...tired. It was like the fight was out of him. Doesn’t change the fact that I killed him in the first place though. I don’t know how to feel about that.”

Seeing her distress, Callum said nothing but put a hand on her knee. He felt tears fall on the back of his hand as she sniveled and whipped them away. 

“I guess I’m a true assassin after all. Who knows, with the dragonguard, maybe I’ll finally get good at it. Killing, I mean.”

“Rayla…” 

She looked at him, ready to defend herself against whatever argument he had to make her feel better.

Instead, he talked about his own discussions at school. “I may have killed some soldiers, back in the battle. I blew a couple off the side of the mountain and hit some others with Fulmunus. I was so busy with the battle and getting to you afterwards, that I never checked but... I don’t think all of those soldiers got back up again.”

Rayla’s hardened face softened somewhat. Eventually, she said; “How do you deal with that?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess it helps that I never recognized the soldiers, and I don’t know what became of them afterwards. I’ve asked Ezran about it in a letter, but he just responded that in a battle, sometimes people die, and that’s just the way it is.” He gave a slight snicker. “I think Opili had a hand in that letter though. Or Ezran is a lot wiser than I give him credit for.” 

Rayla brightened up a bit. “He’s a smart kid… I don’t think I could do it again though. I don’t want to kill anyone, not ever again.”

“Do you even have that choice, as a dragonguard?” Callum didn’t want to ask her that, but he figured it was a fair question. 

“I-I don’t know? I mean, we don’t _have_ to kill intruders. We could just, you know, capture them?” Rayla couldn’t recall a time when she had felt more unsure of herself. 

“Well, let’s hope you don’t have to do that then. I’ve seen you disarm enough opponents to know that you can work your way around killing people.” Callum gave her a reassuring smile. 

Rayla smiled at him, the feelings of betrayal forgotten for the moment. She squeezed his hand. “Thanks Callum.”

Callum, for his part, wanted it to be like this. To be in this moment she was happy with him after he’d already confessed. But he knew that she wanted something else from him as well, and he hesitantly prodded for her to continue her story. “So, about Viren?”

“Ah, yes, right. He wanted to know how Xadia stood against the other kingdoms, if there was a risk of attack. I-I’m glad I didn’t know that stuff. We of the dragonguard hear some political discussions here at the Spire, but some stuff is also decided at the dragonmoot. Anyway, I-I couldn’t tell him much.” She looked at Callum. Her eyes were big, like she was pleading for him to believe her.

This made Callum realize something. “You feel guilty about this.” 

She nodded. “Do-do you think I have betrayed Xadia by telling him stuff? Even if it was just general knowledge?” 

Callum thought for a bit, really considering the question, then shrugged. “It really depends on what you’ve told him and if he’s going to use it against us. In his case, I would say he probably will?” He gave her a weak smile, but his honest answer tore right into her soul.

“Oh no…” she whispered. 

“Hey, it’s alright! I’m sure everything’s going to be fine!” He reached over and shook her shoulder. “Did you find Runaan at least?”

Again, she nodded. She reached over the table, grabbed a pouch and opened it, looking inside. She then took a coin out of the pouch and showed it to him.

Callum sucked in a breath as he saw a trapped elf in the coin. He faintly recognized the elf as the assassin he saw on the castle battlements almost a year ago. “That...that’s him, isn’t it?” 

“Yes, it’s Runaan. And…” She grabbed a few other coins and laid them out on the table. Callum stood up to look at them. Five other faces looked up towards them. Rayla then pushed two coins towards him. “My ma and da…”

The faces looked confused as they regarded Callum. He saw a faint resemblance with Rayla and the vision he saw before the battle at the Storm Spire, but the faces were very small and it was hard to make out any details without looking closely. “Are they stuck in there?”

She shrugged. “I dunno. Viren said that he had trapped them so that he could use them later, and that he hadn’t bothered to find out how to get them out. I-I had hoped…” She swallowed nervously, looking in his eyes with some desperation in her own. “Can you get them out? With your magic I mean?”

Callum involuntarily took a step back. “Rayla…” His first impulse was to say yes and help her, but looking at the coins he found that he really didn’t know how to approach this problem. Nothing he learned at the Area Temple talked about spells that could imprison or release someone. The only magic that had that stuff as far as he knew was dark magic, and he had sworn never to touch that stuff again. He thought that if his confession didn’t break her heart, this would. “I don’t think… I can help with that.”

-/-/-/-

The stranger had led him to the edge of the city and started to climb a narrow mountain path. “Leave the horse.” it had said. 

Viren sought for a post to tie the horse to, but when he found none and saw that the stranger had already gone ahead, he just grabbed his personal effects and climbed on after him. 

The path led them further up and soon they could see the entire city behind them. Viren was puzzled. _Wasn’t the council supposed to be in the city?_ “Stranger, where are we going?”

“To the council.” was the gruf reply. The stranger hadn’t talked to Viren during the ascent, and this bothered him. However, he had no other lead to find this council. He had to take a gamble and trust this man, without any basis for this thrust. 

“If you’re lying to me, you will soon regret messing with a master of dark magic.” Viren warned him.

The stranger stopped climbing and turned. The eyes were still not visible, but a strange smile appeared on the strangers face. “You are spent, Viren. You have not cast proper spells in months. I very much doubt that you are capable of conjuring a simple mote of flame.” 

Viren gritted his teeth and looked at the stranger, then narrowed his eyes. Only now did he see that the stranger’s skin was greyish, a crack having formed on his left cheek. “And I suppose you would know about dark magic as well then?” 

The stranger said nothing, but just kept smiling. Eventually he turned and resumed his climb. “The council will explain, lord Viren. Be patient.” And with that, they continued.

After another half an hour of climbing, they reached an entrance into the mountain. A long, dark tunnel was chiseled out. Two statues of big, burly men with axes guarded the entrance. The stranger gestured inside. “The council awaits.” 

Viren gave the stranger a wary look and thought of threatening him again, then thought the better of it. He stepped inside the tunnel. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he found that there was some light. Oil lamps had been placed at various intervals, being held in the open hands of even more statues. All the statues and the stonework gave the cave a very gothic feeling. Viren walked deeper into the cave and pretty soon he entered what seemed to be some kind of room with various doors. The room just contained some benches and crates. A bookcase stood in a corner containing just a couple of books. He was tempted to inspect them, but thought the better of it. _I have more pressing matters right now._

He looked around. There were two doors on the left and on the right, and one large double door to the front, leading further in the mountain. He heard a faint chanting coming from the room. He strained to listen but could not make out the words, just the deep tones of voices. _The council perhaps?_ He moved closer to the door. As he stood close enough to touch it, the doors opened by themselves, startling Viren. He took a step back, grabbing his staff tightly and taking a defensive stance. 

As the doors opened further, light flooded from the doorway, causing Viren to shield his eyes. Once his eyes adjusted, the open doorway revealed a giant, dome shaped room. Pillars were carved out of the walls of the mountain, looking prettier than they had any right to be in this place. A large, red, circular carpet graced the central portion of the room, and a raised, stone platform surrounded it with eight figures standing in a large circle on top of it. The ceiling of the dome seemed to have various murals engraved in them, depicting fantastical scenes of humans, elves and dragons. The light in the room came from four small glowing orbs that floated near the ceiling. 

Viren took a deep breath to steel himself and walked into the room, trying to appear just as confident as when he had addressed the Pentargy all those months ago. 

A deep voice boomed through the room. “Welcome, Lord Viren. We have been expecting you.”

-/-/-/-

Rayla seemed frozen in place for a second. Callum was afraid he had broken her. Her expression was one of shock. Then, with a very soft voice, she spoke. “Why not? You… you’re a master of the sky arcanum right?”

He shook his head. “I don’t think that is going to help. I’ve studied the sky arcanum a lot. And when I say a lot, I mean that I know almost all the spells that use the sky arcanum, not that I can cast all of them, but I know what they are and…” He was rambling and tried to stop himself. “Point is, they all deal with air, making it blow and making it hot or cold. Imprisoning something inside an object has nothing to do with the sky arcanum at all!”

Rayla’s shoulders sagged, but she rallied. “What about some different arcanum? Isn’t there something in elven magic that, you know… maybe could trap people into a coin?” She eyed the coins. As she said that, she knew that she was grasping for straws.

“You would know that better than me. Honestly, the only magic that I know off that could do stuff like that is the star arcanum.”

Rayla immediately perked up. “That’s great! So all we have to do is find a spell and-”

“That’s impossible Rayla, I can’t do star magic. I just can’t!” He tried to stop her from getting too much hope. 

Rayla was smiling nervously at him. “No it’s not! You just have to try real hard… You connected to the sky arcanum, why not another one?” 

He grabbed her shoulders. “Rayla, I talked to Thorus about it. I wanted to use the star arcanum to project into your dream. But Thorus said that the only way to fully understand the star arcanum was to live a very long time. He reasoned that short-lived creatures could probably only understand it after they died, because that would get them some sort of an outside perspective of life.”

“Oh…” Rayla bit her lip as she looked away. “Then… what about dark magic?”

Callum stiffened. “Rayla… you can’t ask me to-” 

“And why not!?” She suddenly jumped up, her hands balled into fists. “They’re my ma and da, and my mentor! I need them back!” She looked a bit frantic and Callum was afraid she was going to start hitting things soon, or worse, him. “You know how to cast dark magic! I saw you do it!”

“Yeah, and it nearly killed me!” he countered. “We both agreed on this. Dark magic corrupts. It’s wrong to use it. It’s too dangerous to use it!”

Rayla felt like she was falling apart. First Callum was confessing that he cheated on her and now he refused to help her. “Well...you….agh!” She hit the table, causing the coins to jingle, the faces on them looking scared. Rayla pretended not to see them. She was furious on the inside, and beneath that was a big layer of hurt. Six months of being apart had taken their toll, and she felt the last bit of patience she had being ripped away by Callum’s blatant refusal to even consider helping her undo the spell or curse or whatever had trapped her loved ones. She couldn’t deal with this right now. “Get out.”

His eyes widened. “W-what?” 

“GET OUT!” She grabbed a mug and threw it at him. Callum deflected it and it crashed on the floor in several pieces.

Cold dread gripped Callum’s heart as he saw her rage at him, thinking that she could only mean one thing. “Rayla… do you really want me to-?!” 

“Yes! GET OUT! Are ya deaf ya scunner!? Ya gut-for-nothing filthy five-fingered piece of shite!?” Rayla was screaming on the top of her longs. Pent up frustration and boiled up emotions made their way out. A red haze had come over her, one she normally one had felt when she was in combat. 

Callum pressed his lips tightly together. He had said what he needed to say, perhaps even said too much, he reasoned. He stood up and quickly left the room, closing the door softly behind him. 

Rayla stared at the door, slowly realising what she had just done. _I called him that….I threw stuff at him…._ Part of her was too stubborn to admit that she may have overreacted. Another part of her was simply glad he was gone for now. And another part wanted nothing more than to run after him and hug him for all he’s worth. Torn by these emotions, she sank to the ground and cried. 

-/-/-/-

It was raining outside, but Callum didn’t care. He ignored the friendly greetings of several dragonguard he passed. He even ignored the seething look Orris gave him. _I just want to get away from here for now._ As he looked up, gentle rain clouds were floating past. He frowned. He felt like creating a storm. He drew three sigils in the air and incarnated a spell. “Tonitrua Pluviam Maximize.” Suddenly, the rain clouds turned darker and flashes could be seen from within. The slight drizzle that was falling down on the mountain turned into a downpour. _Yes, this is more like it,_ he thought. He stepped to the edge of the platform and jumped off, incanting his mage wing spell on the way down. He swooped away and veered off into the distance, leaving the Storm Spire behind him.

As he flew, he thought of what had happened. He tried to make sense of it at least. She hadn’t been mad at him when he confessed he cheated. It was more like she doubted he had cheated at all. And did he really? After all, it was just a bit of cuddling. But he also knew that cuddling with someone else was grey territory at best, and Rayla could very well consider that to be cheating regardless. 

And then there were those coins. _Her parents are alive! And so is that assassin…_ He understood her desire to get them back. He had lost his step-father, and he would do anything to get him back if he got the opportunity. _Anything...but dark magic._

When Callum had used dark magic for the first time, he had felt the corruptive power. It had been so easy to cast the spell. It had taken next to no energy at all, which was completely different from the sky arcanum, which still drew power from the caster. But the corruptive energy of dark magic had left its mark on Callum, and he had passed out into a feverish slumber soon after. The visions he had were about magic. He felt like he had a choice. Become a dark mage, take the easy path and just take and use the magic power of other creatures. Or choose a harder path and become something no human had ever been before. 

He had chosen the latter, and while he understood the terrible pain Rayla must be going through right now, he resolved that she had no right to ask him-no, force him to use dark magic, even if it was for a good cause. 

Tired of flying through the rain and thunder, he chose a spot in a nearby forest to land and cool down a bit. As he undid his wings and slumped against the tree, he thought of what came next. _So, are me and Rayla still I think?_ He found that he had no clear answer to that. Maybe the only reason she didn’t get mad about the cheating part was because she wanted something from him in the first place. Another knot of guilt and sorrow settled in his stomach at the thought of Rayla breaking up with him. He felt water running down his cheeks, and didn’t know if it was the rain or tears that were streaming down. 

_Dammit. Dammit all to hell! This is all so wrong!_ He buried his face in his hands and tried to think of better times. Of when he and Rayla first entered Xadia, how she had shown him all those different things. They were laughing together back then. He thought of their moments together in her room in the Spire, of the cuddling and kisses, but also of the games and the calm he felt of just _being_ together. He thought of their first, somewhat awkward kiss in the oasis, and then later a more passionate one as they traversed the desert.

He sat there for a long time, so engrossed in his memories, trying to escape reality, that he didn’t hear a figure creeping up to him.

“Callum?”

Callum sat up straight and looked around to see where the voice was coming from. It was a voice he hadn’t heard in a long time. In front of him in the dim light of the storm stood Claudia.

“Claudia!? What are you doing here!?” He scrambled upwards, both surprised and on guard. He remembered which side she chose in the long run, but ever since they left the Cursed Caldara, he hadn’t seen her or confronted her personally. 

Claudia looked at him with concern in her eyes. “I’m looking for you, dummy. What happened? You look like you’ve been through hell!” Her tone was jovial as she tried to make conversation, lightly bouncing on the balls of her feet, her hands clasped behind her back. 

Callum thought he probably did look like that, but he ignored her concern, stepping further back to create some space between them. Claudia looked hurt as he did that, but made no further movements. “What are you doing here Claudia? You are no longer welcome here!” 

“I-I just wanted to see how you were doing. It’s been a long time since we spoke, and.... We didn’t exactly leave at the best of terms.”

“... no, we didn’t. You betrayed us Claudia. And you betrayed Katolis!”

“I did not!” She frowned angrily at him. “My dad ruled Katolis, so I fought for our side. For our human side! I still don’t understand why you chose the elves Callum.”

Callum dropped his guarded stance, as Claudia had made no hostile moves. He seemed perturbed that Claudia still couldn’t see reason. “I didn’t choose the elves Claudia, or the humans. I chose peace! And we have that now!” 

“Yes, you do. So does Duren. Meanwhile, countries like Neolandia, Del Bar and Nerevere have to try and work things out with the constant threat of being wiped out by the dragons .” Claudia said this matter a factly. She stood up straight, hands clasped behind her back. _Please see reason Callum. I don’t want to have to do this…_

Callum made a sweeping gesture. “All those countries can join the peace treaty if they want to. All they have to do is-”

“- give up dark magic, I know. Thing is, without that, and without trade, who will heal the sick people Callum? Who will give them food when they’re starving? You? Katolis, who barely has enough for itself? Xadia?”

Callum crossed his arms. “I didn’t say it would be easy. But it’s the better path. The harder path usually is.”

Claudia sighed. “Okay, I guess I can’t change your mind about that… Truth is, I came here to ask for your help.” 

This caught Callum off guard. “Oh? What kind of help?”

“We have some difficult spells that we can’t figure out. We hoped that someone who’s also talented could perhaps take a look at those spells, see if we’re doing anything wrong.” 

“What about your dad, isn’t he a brilliant mage?”

Claudia lowered her eyes. It seemed like Callum had struck a sore point. “He’s gone… he left for Del Bar. Said I had to figure things out by myself…”

“Oh…” Callum now felt sorry for his hostility. So far, she had made no threatening movements and looking around, it seemed like she came here by herself. Which Callum still found weird, but at least he didn't feel threatened. She also didn’t have a staff with her, so there was no chance of her casting a giant-orb-of-death, as he had seen at the battlefield. “Well...what kind of magic are the spells?”

“Dark magic.” Her eyes met his. She gave him a hopeful look.

 _Do I really have to reject another girl because of dark magic!? What is up with today!?_ He groaned inwardly. “No, not a chance. I’m not doing dark magic anymore.” 

Claudia gave him a long look, then sighed. “Alright. I didn’t come here to fight anyway, just to see how you were doing…” 

“Well, that’s good. Then me and the dragonguard don’t have to kill you.” He had meant to make it sound like a joke, he really had, but by the looks of it, it startled Claudia that he would utter a sentence like that. 

“Yes, well, good for me I guess.”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.” 

They stared at each other awkwardly. 

“So, can I at least get a hug? For old time’s sake?” Claudia asked hopefully, leaning forward a bit, trying to be playful.

 _Ah, sure, what the heck._ Callum smiled at her. He remembered the friendship they had, the crush he had on her. “A hug would be nice.”

As Callum moved forwards with his arms open, Claudia moved into them and wrapped her arms around his neck. As her hands moved from behind her back, Callum saw out of the corner of his eye that she was holding a strange large feather. Before he could ask her about it, he heard her whisper into his ear.

“Enim eb ot demrahc eb.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Notes:
> 
> New one’s up! And on time again! I’ve cut a lot of the fat off the story to keep the updates manageable, so that each chapter isn’t 10K+ words long, but this one came pretty close regardless. The first story only had chapters of 5K - 8K words, but this story so far seems to consistently go past that. Which is great! I love a long read as well! But writing 10K+ words, proof-reading them AND having a life and full-time job next to that is a bit too much pressure for me in one week. 
> 
> I think some of you already predicted the happenings of this story. As you can imagine, things will only escalate from here on out. It’s going to be an exciting ride for the last three chapters!
> 
> Thank you all for the reviews! As always, they keep me going, so please, keep them coming! I love hearing your thoughts on this story, and the Dragon Prince in general!


	8. Dark Magic

It was deep in the night. The Storm Spire was covered in darkness, the dark stormclouds obscuring any light from above. It’s interior halls were softly illuminated by magical candles. A soft rumbling could be heard as the dragons were sleeping. Rayla had always thought that this was a comforting sound. They were there, and they were alive and well, which meant that the dragonguard was doing a good job.

She was walking through the Spire, trying to look casual, but actually looking for Callum. She had cried out most of her emotions and right now felt a slight discomfort as she couldn’t find her boyfriend. _If I can still call him that…_ She was still trying to figure out what that moment actually meant for her, or for them. Had she been trying to break up? She didn’t think so, but she was angry, oh she was so angry! _He says he cheated, then refuses to help me get my family back!_ The thought made her teeth clench. 

She sighed. She didn’t want to deal with those emotions right now. As she walked the halls of the Spire, she thought that perhaps the both of them should sleep it over. _Perhaps it will all be better in the morning._ She tried to smile a bit to lift her spirits, but the Spire was not a large complex and as she was done walking the halls she felt her slight optimism being crushed with worry. _No Callum._

With some urgency she climbed the steps to the top of the Spire. _Perhaps he’s meditating? Or training or flying or something?_ It was still pouring. The rain pelted her form and she had to focus to not slip and fall down the steps, or worse, of the edge. As she reached the top, she quickly looked around for her friend. _….no Callum....Maybe he’s flying? He’s got to be, right? He’s got to be here somewhere!_

Feeling frantic now, she paced around the plateau, looking up into the inktblack sky. “Callum!” A flash, and a loud thunder followed. She jolted, but tried to remain steadfast. “Callum!” She was screaming on the top of her lungs now. “Callum! Callum!”

-/-/-/-

Sharpening her blade was one of Catlyn’s favorite pastimes. It was a soothing exercise, a familiar one that put her mind at ease. Her brother Keryn was doing the same on the stool next to her. “So that prince didn’t look too happy.” 

Catlyn grunted in acknowledgement of her brother’s question, but didn’t reply as she switched from a whetstone to a cloth to rub away some filt on the hilt of her blade.

“You think they broke up?” Her brother pressed. He knew she was privy to their captain’s council, and he was just as curious as his sister was.

Unfortunately for him, Catlyn didn’t feel like sharing. She kept her eyes on her blade as she answered. “Mind your own business brother-mine. This is not for you to know.”

“Huh… well excuuuse me for asking.” Keryn went back to cleaning his blade in silence.

Catlyn hadn’t meant to sound so annoyed by his questions, but deep down she was worried. _Rayla was still supposed to be on her holiday. Why is she back so soon? And Callum… he was rather nervous the entire time he was here... and why did he leave so angry?_ She put down her blade. _Somethingś happened. Something bad between the two of them._ “Keryn, could you take my watch this evening? I’m going to look for-” 

A knock on the door interrupted the both of them. Catlyn and Keryn looked at each other. “Yes? Who is it?” Keryn asked as he grasped his blade, more out of habit than anything else.

“It’s Rayla.” Her worried voice came through the door. “ C-can I come in?”

“Yeah, of course!” Catlyn moved towards the door as Rayla opened it and came through. Catlyn had to do a double take; the once strong and confident captain of the dragonguard looked worn out, ragged and above all soaked. “Oh my, what happened to you!?” She grabbed Rayla’s shoulders and pulled her closer.

“I...I-I…” She didn’t know where to start. _With the cheating? The coins? The fact that I couldn’t find him anywhere?_ Tears started to well up again and she choked on her words.

“Och, this won’t do. Keryn, make yourself scarce lad. This girl needs some girl talk!”

Keryn gave his sister an aspherated look. “What!? This is my bedroom too! Can’t you-”

“Keryn, _now!”_ She glared at him.

Her brother sighed and looked annoyed, but stood up nonetheless. “Right...right…” He grabbed his blade and tools and went out, closing the door behind him. 

As soon as the door closed, Catlyn looked Rayla in the eyes. “Rayla, start from the beginning. What happened?”

Rayla sighed. She figured that it wouldn’t hurt to tell Catlyn, so she did. For the next hour, she talked about her short holiday in her home, how well received she was, how she found out that Runaan might be alive, of her meeting with Soren, and later, Viren. She talked about how she rushed back to the spire and how glad she was to see Callum, but then how her heart broke as he made his confession.

Catlyn listened for the most part, asking a few questions for clarification. When she mentioned the confession, she asked; “He cheated on you?” 

Raya said nothing but nodded. 

Catlynn whistled as she eyed her blade on the table. “I suppose skinning the scunner alive would make too much of a diplomatic incident?”

Normally, Rayla would laugh about this. But right now, she felt too mournful to do even that. “Please don’t hurt him.” was all she could manage with her soft voice.

“Why not? It seems like he deserves it.” Catlyn was joking about the skinning of course. _Well, only half joking._

“‘Cause I love him. And I need him to get my parents back, and Runaan.” 

“You think that Callum is powerful enough to do that?” Catlyn gave her a skeptical look.

“Well…” A faint blush of shame appeared on Rayla’s cheeks as she started to realize what she had asked of Callum, and how wrong that was of her to do that. “I… I had a thought and...I think I messed up.” She couldn’t look at Catlyn. _I don’t want her to be disappointed in me._

Catlyn was silent for a while, hoping that Rayla would gather her courage and just tell her. When no reply came, she prodded her. “C’mon Rayla, you can tell me! It’s me! Catlyn! I’m your moonshadow friend!” She tried to cheer her up, but it seemed to make Rayla only more apprehensive. 

Eventually, Rayla answered. “Thing is… Viren made the coins with dark magic, so it may take dark magic to get them out of the coins....” Rayla was still staring at the floor. She cringed as she heard Catlyn gasp.

“No...Rayla, did you ask-!?” 

“Yeah, I did. When Callum told me that the sky arcanum couldn’t release them, I asked him to use dark magic.”

This stunned Catlyn. She considered herself a liberal moonshadow elf, being overly jovial and touchy with other people, in so much that it made others cringe (which she took some joy out of). But certain things in society were still very much taboo. Dark magic has always been accepted as an evil thing. To think her captain would ask a human to use it, even to save a loved one, was unthinkable! “I don’t understand captain. I thought you… I thought you were one of us!”

Rayla now looked up at Catlyn and immediately noticed the difference in the atmosphere. Catlyn had called her captain and had thrown her walls up. Another stab of guild entered her stomach, as she now realized she may have alienated a friend. She desperately tried to undo the damage. “I-I wasn’t thinkin’! I’m sorry! I just… I’ve not seen my ma and da for so long! A-and Runaan…”

“But that’s no excuse! You do know why dark magic is evil right? It kills magic creatures! Why would you ask Callum to do something like that!? And what would your parents think if they found out the cost of their freedom?” Catlyn wasn’t subtle in her words, and Rayla shrunk visibly under the impact of them.

“I’m sorry…” she whimpered. “I don’t know why I asked…” Rayla had now curled herself up against the wall, trying to contain the tears and emotions that tore through her.

Catlyn took a moment to relax and take in the situation. She was shell-shocked to hear that her captain asked a human to perform dark magic, but as she looked at Rayla, she released she wasn’t looking at the face of her captain. Rather, she was looking at a scared, sixteen-year-old moonshadow elf who hadn’t seen her parents and mentor for a long time. _She thought they were dead_. _If I were her, wouldn’t I do anything to bring them back as well? Wouldn’t I do the same for Keryn?_ She found it to be a difficult thought. Breaking a taboo like that wasn’t something she had ever considered, but then, she was never put in the situation that Rayla was in. _Gosh, that must be difficult! To know that Rayla actually knows someone who CAN bring her parents back, but doing so requires an act of evil…_

Feeling sorry for both her captain and her friend, she bend down and hugged Rayla tightly. “Shhhh…. It’s alright. I’m here for ya.” 

The sad elf leaned into her and started to sob again, just as a hard knock came on the door. 

Startled, Catlyn called out. “Who is it?”

“It’s me!” her brother’s voice called out. “Are you two done yet?”

Catlyn huffed. Her brother could be a bother sometimes. _Can't a girl get some peace and quiet?!_ “Not really! Go to Pincaelo or something! I know ya like her!”

A groan could be heard from the other side of the door. “Don’t shout that stuff!” Keryn hissed. “Anyway, you two should get out, like, now. The dragon king wants to see Rayla.”

Rayla and Catlyn looked at each other, and Catlyn couldn’t remember a time where she had seen her captain looking more fearful.

-/-/-/-

Viren was stunned. He had expected a more grandiose setting with men who wore rich clothing. He had expected the council to be a bunch of wannabe dark mages who dabbled a bit. It would have been easy to manipulate such a group. But secretly, he had hoped to find something more, something that could actually help him and grand him new knowledge on dark magic. And as he looked at these figures, he felt like he wasn’t going to be disappointed.

All of the eight figures looked like old men. Their hair was grey, white or none existent, their figures were skinny and they all wore brown, plain robes. What was most apparent though were the signs of corruption on them. They all had grey, cracked skin to some degree, and their eyes were pitch black. Their voices were cold and deep as they addressed him.

“So, you have come here Viren.”

“Like we predicted.”

“Why have you come here Viren?”

“Do you seek knowledge?”

“Do you seek power?”

“What brings you here Viren?”

The cascade of different voices threw Viren off his game. He looked around nervously, clearly out of his debt. “I...I thought I would gain some sort of knowledge. There were rumors of a court of dark mages.” He looked around at their stony faces, regaining some of his self confidence. “And it seems that I found them.” 

One of them spoke up. “Indeed. We are the Council of Ziard. We try to follow the principles of the famous sorcerer of old who first used dark magic.”

Viren smiled. “Ah, yes, I know the name from the history books. I am familiar with teachings.”

“Then why did you not put it into practice?”

Viren’s smile faltered. “Sorry?” 

“Ziard was never greedy. Why did you seek to use dark magic to gain more power and influence?” 

The smile was now completely gone. He did not expect this. “Well, it’s true that I’ve-”

“Ziard practiced restraint in his power, using it only when necessary. Why did you never seek alternatives, Viren?”

“That’s not true! I simply-”

“Ziard was not vain. Why did you hide your corruption?” 

“What!? Well I-”

“Ziard was compassionate and only killed when he had to. Why did you destroy so many lives Viren?”

His head whipped around as the voices boomed accusations at him. He got frustrated. “What is this!? Some tribunal? By what right are you judging me!?”

One man stepped forward, down the steps of the raised platform. The man wasn’t anything special to look at. He was old, mostly bald, and had heavily corrupted features. “By right of your own conscience Viren. Please understand. We do not want to judge you. We invited you for a different purpose.”

Viren brandished his staff, ready to defend himself should this meeting turn violent. “And what’s that?” He asked carefully.

The old man smiled kindly at him. “To put you on the right path. And perhaps, in time, you can teach us in return.”

-/-/-/-

“...and therefore it is prudent to ensure that total access is granted to all the delegates of the Usipularian Hold. For if this does not happen, then the repercussions will be such, that-”

Ezran nodded, which the ambassador took as a sign to continue, but it was actually a reflective nod of Ezran jolting awake again. Bait had taken his place on the king’s lap and gave a croak as he felt his human friend shift underneath him. Ezran groaned inwardly. _This ruling is sooo boring._ He looked at Opili who kept her eyes on the delages. Ezran knew from experience however that she was watching him as well. He figured that she would both scold him for falling asleep, as well as inform him of what was said in words he could better understand. _Opili’s a good teacher. I know she can be harsh, but she is helping me._

“To prevent any further strife between our people, we must make sure to” “Ray!” “enable communications-”

Ezran perked up. The delegate looked pleased that he finally got the monarch's attention, but Ezran had instead focussed on his ears. _I thought I heard something._

“-and after we’ve established another centre of” “Sad!” “trade here in Katolis, we-”

Ezran frowned. _I thought I heard a familiar voice._ He looked around the room, which confused the people around him, but the delegates droned on. The only people here were the guards, the delegates and Opili. As he settled back, he heard the voice another time. “Ray!” He blinked, and then recognized the voice. Or rather, he recognized the tone, the sound of a small friend he hadn’t seen in a long time. _Zym! He’s learning to speak!_ He also immediately realised the importance of the moment, and what he had to do. “Ehm, Opili?” He whispered to his teacher.

Opili looked at him curiously. “Yes, my liege?”

“Could we take a small break? I gotta go do you-know-what.” 

Opili frowned and wrinkled her nose. “But siré, that is unbecoming of a king! Try to hold it for another hour or so.”

It really bothered Ezran that he had to use such childish excuses. He was eleven for crying out loud! But he really didn’t see any other easy way out of this situation. “Sorry, I just _really_ gotta go!” 

Opili gave a deep sigh. “Very well.” She turned to the delegates. “His majesty wishes to take a small break. I will arrange for refreshments to be brought.” The delegates looked slightly annoyed at the interruption, but brightened a bit at the sound of refreshments after the long, arduous meeting.

Ezran hopped from the throne and put Bait on the seat. “Keep it warm for me buddy.”

Bait gave an affirmative groan and made himself comfortable. With two guards flanking him, he rushed his way out of the throneroom to the royal lavatories. Once inside, he locked the door, sat on the toilet and focussed on his inner connection with Zym. From the moment he heard his voice up until now, Zym had been pulling at his consciousness, trying to show him something. _Alright Zym, I’m here. What’s going on?_

“Ray sad!” Zym piped through the hall for the second time. 

The dragon queen Zubeia nuzzled Zym with her snouth. “We know my dear Azymondias. But be quiet. The king speaks.”

Aureum Umbra looked slightly annoyed at the interruption, but even he couldn’t be mad at the little baby dragon, so he let it slide. He looked down again at those assembled in front of him. Rayla looked remorseful and afraid. Catlyn stood next to her, a hand on Rayla’s back to support her. And Bosor flanked her on the other side, stoic as always. Keryn stood by the doorway, making sure none of the other dragonguard entered, but the king was sure that those not on patrol were nearby to hear what was going on. 

“So let me get this straight; while you away, instead of recovering, you went on a mission by yourself where you encountered the dark mage Viren. Instead of fighting him, you traded information for these artifacts. Then, when you got back, you had a falling out with the human prince who is now missing?”

Rayla stared at the ground, her hands balled into fists. She nodded. _I’m stupid I’m stupid I’m stupid…._

The dragon king sighed. He didn’t like this. There were obviously things that the little elf girl was keeping to herself, and the longer this drama lasted, the less she looked like the strong heroic elf from when he met her. She now looked more like a young child who was unable to deal with her problems, let alone lead a team of elite soldiers. 

Zubeia also spoke up. Her tone was soft and motherly, but also slightly admonishing. “I can understand the need to try to free your loved ones, but what made you go to the dark mages hideout by yourself? You could have been captured, tortured and killed. Or worse, you could have ended up like them.” A dragonclaw pointed accusingly at the small leather satchel Rayla had fastened to her belt.

“I wasn’t thinking.” Her small voice said. “I only thought of seeing Runaan again.” She had told them the whole story. When the dragonking enquired why she returned sooner than expected, she came clean about the mission she undertook, her meat-up with Soren, and that she spoke to the dark mage instead of fighting him. She also told them about the fight she had with Callum, though she had been vague about the reasons.

The dragons were silent for a while, until the king spoke, having thought of the consequences of this turn of events. “We must find the prince as soon as possible. To have him perish here would put Xadia at risk of war once again.”

Rayla winced as the king used the word “perish”. _He’s not dead. He just ran away…_

“Why did you have a falling out with the prince, young Rayla?” Zubeia asked gently.

Rayla pressed her lips together. She was trembling now, and she wasn’t sure what emotion was responsible for that. She felt so many; fear, sadness, guilt, regret…

Catlyn leaned in and whispered in her ear. “It’ be best to just tell them. Better they hear it from you than from the prince.” 

Tears sprung in Rayla’s eyes as she felt another stab in her heart. _I’ll be a disgrace forever! Oh gods, what have I done!?_ She nodded weakly and stepped forward. The heavy emotions visible on her form made even the dragon king look her way curiously. 

She began to speak with a soft, trembling voice. “I have made a mistake. When Callum came back, he admitted he might have cheated on me.” 

Zubeia gasped while the king remained motionless. Zym didn’t understand the words, but just wanted the meeting to be over so he could fly to Rayla and comfort her with cuddles. Catlyn stood by her side, a sad, mournful expression on her face, while Bosor’s face was unreadable, as stoic as he was. 

“When he did, I became angry… but I needed him. I needed him to get my parents and Runaan out of there. So I held back and talked to him about that. When he said that the sky arcanum couldn’t do stuff like that, I asked him to use… dark magic.” 

As she said that, the temperature in the room seemed to drop below freezing. The king hissed, while the queen’s eyes went wide like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Even Bosor took a step back and looked at Rayla in disbelief. 

Rayla swallowed. She had already made up her mind about what she wanted to say. She let herself fall on her knees in front of the dragons, eyes downcast. “I was stupid, and in pain. I...I only thought of myself. When Callum wouldn’t help me, I chased him out of my room. I know it won’t help anyone, but...I’m sorry.” She felt useless as she said it. _But that’s what I am I guess… useless...._

The king grumbled loudly and stood up straight, lording down on the dragonguard gathered before him. The queen put a paw on his shoulder. The king gave her an annoyed look, but the dragon queen said nothing, just giving the dragon king a look that he seemed to understand. He nodded to her and then addressed the guard. 

“Dragonguard, we have a situation on our hands that requires both my judgment and your coöperation. First, the judgment.” He looked at Rayla, who now looked back up at him. Her eyes looked empty, like she had now spent all of her emotions. “Rayla of Xadia. You have acted in a way unbefitting of a dragonguard. You have set yourself on the path of danger, without thought of what you being captured might mean for the defences of the Storm Spire. Furthermore, your actions with the prince of Katolis have possibly put our peace with that nation in jeopardy. Lastly, you have betrayed the core tenets of Xadia by asking a human to perform dark magic.” 

The words came down on Rayla like heavy rain and pelting snow. As she looked up at the giant head, a maw filled with teeth, she briefly wondered if this would end with her being swallowed whole. A part of her hoped it would. _I don’t want to feel like this. Put an end to it…_

“In the past I have given you leniency because of your heroic actions, but no more. My judgement is that you are to be stripped of your rank as captain. Furthermore, your position in the dragonguard is now temporary, until a suitable replacement can be found.” As the words left the king's mouth, Rayla let her head fall down. All she had achieved had crumbled to nothingness. But the king was not done. “Bosor. In the short time you have been a member of the dragonguard, you have shown nothing but exemplary behaviour, befitting of an elite warrior of Xadia. I therefore promote you to the position of captain.”

Bosor’s eyes widened. He saluted. “Yes, my king.” 

“Your first assignment will be to find the human prince. If he can’t be found, send a message to Katolis immediately to see if he has gone back home. Once you are done, find two more warriors to complete the dragonguard.”

“Your will be done!” He saluted once more and marched out of the room. The other dragonguard who were waiting by the entrance were stunned by what they just heard. They hesitantly saluted as Bosor walked by, already giving orders to the various elves. 

Rayla sat down on the floor, still on her knees. Catlyn shook her by the shoulder. “Come on Rayla, we gotta go.” But the girl gave no response. Catlyn signed and heaved her up. Rayla stood, but was in a zombie-like state. Catlyn gave her a worried look. She looked back at the dragons. The king pretended not to see them, but the queen looked worried, though not enough to offer any help. Catlyn then took Rayla and pulled her arm across the shoulder, half walking, half dragging the poor girl back to her room.

The great hall within the Storm Spire was quiet once more. When all but the dragons were gone, Zym’s mother spoke, addressing the king. “It was nice of you to care so much about the human prince, sending the kingdom a message and such.” 

The dragon king gave her a look. “I don’t. He can die in the desert for all I care. But I cannot let his disappearance lead to strife or war. That would cost many Xadian lives, and he is not worth that.” 

Zym looked confused. He didn’t understand all this grown-up talk. He just understood this was about Rayla and Callum, the pair that had brought him to his mother. He made a mournful sound. “Ray sad, Cam ‘way. Bad.” 

A loud knock shook Ezran out of his vision. “Sire, are you alright!?” Ezran shook his head, dizzy from being engrossed in the vision for so long. “Yes, yes of course I am, why wouldn’t I be?”

The guard hesitantly responded. “Well, sire, you’ve been there for...quite a while. Opili is asking after you. Apparently the delegation is getting impatient. 

“Eeeh…. It’s the jelly tarts! They…. They gave me explosive diarrhea!” Ezran blurted out, saying the first thing that came to mind. 

“....Okay, we’ll ...we will stand guard from down the hallway sire.” 

Ezran groaned. Right now, the situation of the delegation wasn’t the worst of his problems. _Callum, where are you!?_ He very much wanted to know first hand what had happened between him and Rayla. As Ezran made ready to go back to the throne room, he felt that he still had a bit of a connection left to Zym. With one last mental effort, he sent a message. _Oh, Zym? Good job on the “words”! Pretty soon, we’ll have real conversations!_

He faintly heard a word come back from the other end. “Happy.”

-/-/-/-

Claudia was giddy with excitement. The True Light bastion in Valros was in sight. Their mission had only taken a couple of days and had been completely successful! _I was so lucky that Callum just happened to land in that forest! If that hadn’t happened, we may have had to sneak past those dragonguards to get to him._ She doubted that would have gone well, but she would have tried for him. She needed a friend, and as she looked at Callum who was riding his horse next to her, she knew that she wouldn’t be alone any longer. 

She thought back to the moment she had cast the spell. Callum’s eyes had glossed over for a bit. He looked surprised, though not shocked. When Claudia had asked him if he would like to get away from the Storm Spire, he had readily agreed. _It’s a good thing we brought an extra horse. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be as fast as we were._ She had taken several cult members on this expedition, and Aaravos had cast a spell that would make their mounts as fast as the wind for a couple of days. All in all, she was very proud of what she had pulled off. 

When they entered the bastion, Claudia immediately took Callum to her room. Callum willingly followed her, but he hadn’t made any further comment since she charmed him. Aaravos had told her that people under the effect of the charm spell would appear more withdrawn to others, while in reality they had lost part of their free will to the caster. As their body and mind adjusted to the spell, they would slowly return to their normal behaviour, but now they would adore the caster and listen to their every word. _Thinking of Aaravos, I should probably introduce Callum to that bug. But I want to talk with him first._ She had tried to make small talk on the way home, but Callum’s responses had mostly been one-word answers, and she didn’t want to press any sensitive subjects with the cult members nearby. 

She dragged Callum inside her room and closed the doors. Callum just stood mindlessly in the centre of the room. “Take a seat Callum.” said Claudia as she did that herself. Callum wordlessly grabbed a chair and sat down. He looked around, seeming to take in the room. It was cozy, with red drapes before the windows and a few plants in pots in the corners. The room didn’t scream ‘Claudia’, but that was because she was on the road a lot. 

“So, what do you think?” 

Callum looked at Claudia. “The room looks nice. Have you lived here long?”

Clauda blinked. This was the first time he had asked a question since the spell. _He must be adjusting more quickly to the spell than I thought._ “Yeah, me and dad set up camp here shortly after the battle near the Storm Spire. The town was already there, but it started to grow into a city as we helped the people here.”

“That’s nice.” 

Claudia smiled. “So...what do you think of dark magic?” She was curious. Since she hadn’t give him any suggestions to like or dislike anything, he should just give her his honest opinion. 

“Dark magic is evil and wrong.” He said with a frown. “You destroy the life of a magical creature for power. It is like the complete opposite of what the arcanums are about.”

Inwardly, Claudia groaned. It reminded her of their discussion at the moon nexus. “Alright, I get it, prince judgyface. But you eat meat. Where do you think that meat comes from?”

Callum frown deepened, his brain searching for a proper answer to this girl’s question. “I think that’s different. Viren used dark magic a lot of times to make things easier. We need meat to live, so we kill to survive. But you don’t need to use dark magic. It’s a choice. A choice that kills something else.” 

“Is it though?” Her finger rubbed over the spine of her spellbook which lay on the table. “Listen, I’m going to tell you something I’ve never told anyone before.” 

Callum perked up and leaned in, figuring this was important. “After the battle of the Storm Spire, I went to look for my dad. He-” She swallowed, trying to contain emotions she had buried deep inside of her. “He had died, thrown off the top of the mountain by that elf. I didn’t know what to do. That bug creature was with him. It looked hurt, but was still wriggling.” 

“Bug creature?” Callum prompted.

“Oh, you haven’t met our bugpall? I’ll show him to you later then. Anyway, I found a cave and hit him there, as well as the bug creature. I wanted to get my dad back, and I needed a lot of magic to do it. So I went to look for powerful magical creatures for two full days, but I couldn’t find any. The only thing I found was a deserter, a crownsguard soldier who had run away from the battle. I persuaded her to come with me, said I needed help. She came with me. Once she was in the cave, I knocked her out, and not really knowing what I was doing, I began to cast a spell.” She took a moment of pause. She felt that her body was tense from reliving that moment. Callum’s expression was careful, guarded. “I was able to transfer the life energy from that deserter back to dad. It took a long time, but eventually I succeeded! My dad was alive again!”

The expression on Callum’s face changed from guarded to horrified. 

“Callum, don’t look at me like that over again.”

His face immediately slackened. “Okay.”

She smiled carefully. “So you see? Sometimes you do need dark magic to help someone!”

Callum smiled. “I see Claudia. You’re right.”

“Yes! I knew that you would underst-.” She had her arms already in the air when the coin dropped in her head. _He’s agreeing because I charmed him…_ “Oh, right… of course…Well, I think we should just get started and see how good you are with dark magic. Do you want to help me with some spells?”

Callum jumped up enthusiastically. “Yes, I love magic!”

“That’s the spirit.” She liked that a bit of the real Callum was surfacing, even if it was probably twisted a bit by the charm spell. “Now, I’ve got this spell that creates an orb or something, but we are kind of stuck with what to do next. The spell is supposed to create the ‘heart of a dragon’...”

-/-/-/-

Another session had ended, and a tired Viren walked out of the great hall beneath the mountain. _Time to get some fresh air,_ he thought. For the past three days, he and the council had done nothing but discuss dark magic and its use. At first, the experience was agonizing. All his views on dark magic were challenged. Though they told him it was to reevaluate his principles and not meant to be judgmental, it was still vexing to be confronted with his own mistakes time and time again. 

Still, it wasn’t without it’s benefits. He now knew that Del Bar was ruled by this council, and that they called themselves the Council of Ziard because they were all dark mages. However, unlike Viren, they held a few peculiar views about the use of dark magic. As Viren was thinking back to their conversations, he was suddenly interrupted by a rush of wind and a dark shadow crossing over him. _What? A dragon!? In Del Bar!?_

“Wait, Viren!” The ragged voice from one of the sages rang out as he rushed out of the dark hallway. The black dragon flew straight at Viren, but flapped its wings to slow its descent, causing hard winds to hit the mountainside. Viren braced himself, but as he recognized the dragon, he made no further offensive movements. The sage ran up beside him. “Don’t attack Viren, as strange as it sounds, he’s friendly.” 

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that…” Viren muttered as he watched the dragon land on the narrow path up the mountain. It was a tight fit. The black dragon kept a watchful eye on the sage and Viren as it folded its wings and stomped a bit closer.

“So you made your way here after all, Viren? I wondered if you would take the opportunity when it presented itself.” The deep voice of the dragon resonated in his mind. Viren thought of the last time he saw that dragon, nearly more than a year ago. It had been civil, if a bit threatening. 

“Zeron…” Viren muttered. “I thought it would be prudent to check out this council.” He looked towards the sage. “It appears that we have a lot in common, yet can still learn from another.” 

“Is that so? Tell me, what have you learned…” The dragon made no move to come closer but had his complete intention focussed on Viren.

Viren hesitated in answering this question. _I feel like I’m asked to recite my lessons to a schoolteacher. Who does this dragon think he is?_ He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder.

“You can answer him, Viren. He is a friend of Del Bar.” The old man’s black eyes and cracked skin made for a terrifying visage, but it was a face that Viren had grown used to long ago. He had looked like that, before his resurrection. He just hit it with dark magic. 

Viren grumbled. “Alright. It appears they follow the teachings, or should I say the example, of the first dark mage, Ziard. They use their powers to help others, but only when there is great need. They don’t use it lightly. And they have added some tenets of their own. Apparently they only gather ingredients from that which has already perished.”

The sage next to him nodded. “Taking life is one of the greatest offences one can commit in this creation. One should always avoid such an option.”

“Very wise.” The deep voice rumbled. “Are you persuaded at all by their teachings?”

“I’m not sure I can agree with their refusal to change their visage..” he said as he nodded to the smiling sage, “...but I can see where they are coming from. It does make the practice of dark magic a lot harder, and a lot more costly. Ingredients will be hard to come by, and people are not inclined to listen to those who look like monsters. No offence of course!”

The sage shrugged. “None taken. But you yourself are not far from that are you?” he said, gesturing at Viren’s ashen skin and grey streaks of hair. “Corruption is the price we pay for practicing dark magic. It is called dark magic for a reason after all. But since it is a power we can use, we reason that it is a power we must and can use, if we do so in a controlled manner.” The sage now gestured at the city below them, as if it were an example of what might come of such use of power. 

Viren looked at the city. It looked like it was prospering, despite the isolation Del Bar was in right now. He also noted that none of the people below were pointing at the great black dragon sitting against the mountainside. “They don’t see you, do they?” Viren surmised.

“No, they do not.” Zeron replied.

Going back to his thoughts, Viren recalled his talks with the council. He came to discover that the various members of the council (sages as they called themselves) were solo practitioners of dark magic before the death of King Florian. They practiced dark magic as a hobby as a group, but saw the corruption as something that had to be managed. They read the history of dark magic and based on that compiled a code that should make sure that dark magic could be used wisely and hopefully be accepted by all humans and elves. After King Florian’s demise, the councilmembers, being already in influential positions for the most part, took control of the city and later on the country. Right now, it was doing quite well, despite its isolation from Duren and Katolis.

Viren turned back to Zeron. “I don’t disagree with the council of course. Careful use of dark magic is...slow, but efficient, and seems less costly in the long run. But what brings you here, oh great black dragon?”

Though Viren said it in a mocking tone, the dragon didn’t react to it. “I came to see how the council was doing. While Xadia as a whole might disregard the notion of humans practicing dark magic, I myself am more neutral aligned in the matter. I focus on the use. Power, in whatever form, can be used for both good and evil. You, Viren have done many a great evil with it, even if you had the best of intentions at times. But I sense that you have yet a part to play in this world. My hope is that the council can temper you for that.”

This confused Viren, though he tried not to show it, instead changing topics. “And what of Xadia? Do you think they will ever relent and let humans practice this magic?”

“As things stand right now? No. But that is also because they deny their own history.”

“Ahum, yes!” The sage piped up, not wanting to be left out of the conversation. “Though the unicorns were responsible for giving humans the primal stones, it was actually an elf who showed Ziard how to do dark magic.”

Viren looked surprised. “An elf? 

“Yes indeed.” Zeron supplied. “A secret bit of ancient knowledge, unknown to most except for the most ancient of dragons. Do you care to guess his name?”

Viren frowned, then his eyes widened. _It couldn’t be._ “Let me guess… Aaravos?”

The dragon seemed to grin and nodded. “One should always be wary of the motives of one granting great power to another. Be careful Viren. A time of great change is coming, for all of Xadia.” And with that, the dragon stretched its wings and flew skyward, retreating in the distance. 

-/-/-/-

With the wave of a hand, the spell ended. The crowd of cultmembers gave Callum an applause. Callum smiled and urged them to try the new spell themselves. Aaravos watched the scene unfold from the shadows. It had been almost a week since the human girl had brought this human boy from the Storm Spire, and already this boy was an enigma to him. He was extremely gifted at learning new spells and casting them, and for some reason could cast spells of the sky arcanum without a prima stone! With the permission of Claudia he had interrogated Callum about that, but the answers had been less than satisfying. _No elven heritage. No special upbringing. No logical connection to anything related to the arcanum. How can it be that this boy is so talented in magic!?_ If only he had met this boy instead of Viren, he could have accomplished so much more!

“What do you think?”

Aaravos turned around, the legs making a skittering sound as the large bug body turned. Claudia approached him. “He’s a very talented boy. It’s amazing how he mastered so much in such a short time…” His voice was suspicious, but Claudia paid it no heed. Instead, she leaned on her staff and watched Callum teach the other cultmembers the new offensive magic they were developing.

“Yeah, he’s got eidetic memory or something. If he’s seen something, then he can recall it very easily. Works great for his sketches too! You should see some of his work! It’s a shame he didn’t bring his sketchbook…”

“Hmpf… well, as long as this boy helps you finish the ‘heart of a dragon’, then I’m all for it. Have you made any progress with it?”

“We have actually!” she leaned over the edge. “Hey Callum! Can you come up here for a sec?”

Callum looked up and waved at Claudia. “Oh, sure! Coming up!” He drew a rune and incanted the spell. “Fuga!” With a rush of wind he was propelled upwards, landing smoothly on the ledge she and Aaravos were standing. The crowd below stood in amazement as he did that. 

Claudia giggled. “Showoff.” Callum smiled at her. 

“So, Claudia told me that you have made some progress with this special primal stone I- we want to create?” Aaravos asked.

“Yes, actually! Turns out we have almost all the ingrediënts needed for the spell. However, a key component is missing, so we still need to get that.” Callum said jovally. Since Claudia said to him not to be afraid of Aaravos and trust him, he did just that. 

Aaravos found that demeanor actually quite unsettling. Even Viren had given some sort of a reaction to his form, a strange mix of disgust and admiration. But this boy seemed to completely ignore this in his charmed state. “How can you miss an ingrediënt? I’ve gathered everything for you! We just need you to put the spell together and create the stone!”

Callum shook his head. “I’ve looked at the parchment, and I think there’s an error in the translation. Might be because the original text was written in poem form. The ingrediënt we’ve got wrong is that we have got the heart of an emperor reigar, while we only need a few feathers of that animal.”

“Pfff, we got plenty of those.” Claudia said.

Aaravos was still in the dark. “So what are we missing then?”

Callum raised his eyebrows. “Well, why did you think the artifact was called the ‘heart of a dragon’?”

Aaravos stared at the two. “That...will be a challenge then.” 

Callum shrugged. “Well, it’s the only way we can complete the spell and create this prima stone. According to the text, the original one was made using the power of both unicorns and dragons. If we have to use dark magic to create a similar object, then we have to create some dragon power of our own!”

The bug remained motionless. Aaravos was in deep thought. _I had hoped that using the heart of a strong magical creature would be enough, but no, of course it has to be a dragon! Ugh… Not that I would mind using their hearts for such spells but with the limited power we have, any offensive on a dragon’s lair is doomed to fail. Looks like I have to postpone my plan once again…_

The bug seemed to sag a little. “Aw, don’t worry bugpal! We’ve got a plan for getting a heart!” Claudia said, tapping her staff. “In a few weeks time, we’re going to attack the Storm Spire with our army of dark magic cultists!”

This seemed to catch the bug off guard completely, it’s body making a few skittish movements. “You...you what!?”

Claudia nodded. “I talked to Callum about it, and he figured that this would be the fastest way to get what we want.” 

“This is unwise Claudia. Viren didn’t succeed, and he had the armies of four nations at his back! Why do you think you’ll succeed?”

Claudia looked smug and motioned to Callum. “Callum? Why don’t you explain.”

Callum took a step forward. “If we move in stealthily enough, we won’t have to fight any other Xadian armies or dragons. Then it’s just us and the cultists against the dragonguard and the dragons. Viren and my step-dad killed Thunder with just the two of them. With an army of dark mages, we should be able to handle them.”

Aaravos frowned, though his bugform was unable to do that. His voice sounded less than pleased with the plan though. “There are other dragons out there who are a much easier mark. It is stupid to throw your army away like that.”

But Claudia shook her head. “Look, I get it. The dragon king is powerful, the queen probably as well, but we’ve got several things going for us! First of all, Callum knows the guard. He knows exactly who we’re up against and what their strengths are. Secondly, every single one of us knows magic. The guard doesn’t, so taking them out will be a piece of cake. Lastly, the dragon’s won’t leave the lair at the same time. One of them has got to protect the dragon prince. So we will only be fighting one dragon at the time.” 

When Aaravos didn’t respond, Claudia pressed on. “Think about it. We will be able to get the heart, we will eliminate the dragon king and queen, and maybe even get the dragon prince! It’s a win-win-win!” 

It was silent at the plateau for a long time. Aaravos felt the temptation of agreeing with this plan, but the memories of the last battle were still fresh in his mind. He survived of course, but barely. And he really didn’t see how they could succeed against multiple dragons and highly trained elves. _They are underestimating their opponent…_ he thought. _Still, the human boy is right. There is a small chance of success here. But I don’t want to sacrifice my bugform for that chance. It cost me too much to create…. What to do, what to do…._

Eventually, Aaravos relented. “Alright. Then do it. But I still think it is too much a risk, so I have a condition.”

“Alright. What's that?” Claudia asked.

“I will not be joining you. This form cannot cast offensive spells anyway, so at most I could be a distraction. Against a dragon however, I think I wouldn’t last long. But what I can do is create a spell of binding.” The bug moved its arms in a stylish manner, creating runic patterns in the air as if it was already casting. 

“What does the spell do?” Callum was always curious about new magic. This was the first time the creature admitted to being able to cast spells. 

“It binds a creature to me. When you are in dire need, you can focus on the spell, and it sends you back to me in an instant.”

“Would it work on someone who’s unconscious?” Claudia thought that they could still be knocked out by a surprise attack. Magic wouldn’t do them any good if they couldn’t cast or focus. 

“No, but if you grab hold of someone, they will be transported with you.” The bug gave them a stern look. “Under no circumstances grab hold of a dragon while doing that. I do not wish to encounter an archdragon while in this form. I trust you understand this.”

Claudia nodded. “Alright! Then we’ve got a plan!”

The bug regarded her carefully. “Indeed we do. Now leave me. I will prepare the binding spell for this endeavour.” 

As Callum turned to jump down the ledge again, Claudia grabbed his hand. “Actually, Callum, could you come with me?” 

“Sure Claudia!” Callum said as he let himself be dragged off, back towards the temple. 

Claudia looked him deep in the eyes. As she held his hand, she felt a blush creep to her face. Even if he would always listen and obey her, she felt the need to explain herself. “I-I would like to spend some time with you. I’ve been a bit lonely.” 

Callum just smiled at her. “That’s alright! I will keep you company!”

-/-/-/-

The clouds moved slowly through the air, obscuring the half-moon that was still visible. _It’s turning dark again,_ Rayla thought as she looked up from the Plateau. _It will take a couple of weeks, but still._ She didn’t like it. She wished the moon were full. She needed her strength, especially now. 

_I’ve lost so much…_

She thought of the mission with Runaan she screwed up. _I’m the reason he’s trapped._ She thought of her parents and their imprisonment. She couldn’t get them out, even asking for their release was wrong, because it used dark magic! She thought of how she failed to kill Viren, permanently that is. And she thought of Callum, who was now missing. A message had come from Katolis. The prince wasn’t there. She didn’t know how the dragonguard replied. She wasn’t a captain anymore. 

_I’m not anything anymore…_

In her hand, she held a necklace, the one he gave to her on her last birthday. _I wish you were here! Oh Callum, I want you back!_ Tears started to stream down her face as her emotions overwhelmed her. She was reminded of her first kiss. She was breaking down in the oasis, and Callum had cheered her up. That lit up the spark of interest she had for him into a bright burning flame. And even though it was awkward and embarrassing, she thought of that moment with fondness as well, because Callum had been there for her. 

But she was breaking down now and this time, there was no Callum to comfort her. _Oh Callum...wherever you are, I hope you think of me..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note:
> 
> And here you go. Reading the reviews, I’m starting to notice people are getting pretty...excited about the direction the story is taking. At the very least, that means readers are getting invested! 
> 
> I’m not entirely happy with the Callum/Claudia scenes, but unfortunately, I’m lacking the time to work them out any more than this. There might also be some typos because I was rushing at the end. My apologies for that. I’ll rectify them once the entire story is finished. Only two more chapters to go after all! 
> 
> As always, if you’ve enjoyed the story, please let me know!


	9. Into the Storm

A flash lit the dark desert sky as the fireball exploded on the ground. It left a large scorch mark on the rocky floor, but nothing more than that. The man who was the intended target had already stepped away, trying to stay in the shadow of the mountain. Smirking, he grabbed into his pouch and pulled out a beetle, crushing it in his fist. His eyes turned black. While he ran at his opponent, he incanted the spell. “Erif fo niar!” 

A stream of burning embers appeared from his hand and shot towards his opponent. _This is no good,_ the man thought. _I can dodge one fireball, but not this!_ He quickly grabbed into a pouch of his own and pulled out a worm, crushing it. Raising his fist, he cast a spell to raise a wall of stone in front of him. “Htrae evom!” A wall of stone came up from the ground and blocked the incoming firestorm. “Hah, you didn’t count on that, did you?” The man shouted from behind the wall.

“Oh, but I did…” The man muttered as he grabbed a small paw resembling that of a cat. “Gnipsarg fo dnah enots snettik.” The ground rumbled as a giant stone cat claw burst through the ground. It was twice the size of a man and with an amazing display of power it burst through the wall.

The man behind the wall yelped. “Alright, that’s enough! I’m out of ingredients!” 

This surprised the other man. He scratched his beard as he looked at his sparring partner. “What, already?”

The man shrugged. “Yeah, I kinda went overboard with the first few spells.” The two of them clasped their hands together to conclude their sparring match, as they were suddenly startled by the sound of clapping nearby.

“Well done you two! You are really training hard!”

The eyes of the two men went wide. “Mistress Claudia!” They both dropped to one knee and bowed their heads. 

Claudia giggled. “Alright, alright, get up.” 

As the men got up, they saw a figure appear next to her. “Ah, my lord Callum. Have you come to see how we were training?”

Callum shook his head. “No, Claudia wanted to take a stroll. She thinks it’s romantic, with the moon and the stars and all that.” As if on que, Claudia giggled, but now in a more girlish manner. She grabbed his arm and clung to him. The men looked to be a bit uncomfortable with the display.

“We just stumbled on you while we were walking.” Claudia said, still hugging Callum’s arm. “But good to see that the two of you are training! Are you ready for the big day?” 

The two looked at each other. “Well… I suppose. We try to practice as much as we can without going through all of our ingredients. We still want to have some left for the actual battle.”

“Pffft, don’t worry about that. Once we’ve won, we’ve basically conquered Xadia. We can get all the ingredients we want then!”

Callum looked thoughtful for a second. “You know what would be cool? If you could draw magic from your opponent to cast your own spells.”

The three looked at Callum. “What do you mean?” Claudia asked.

“Well, to cast dark magic, you just have to touch a magical creature, right? Doesn’t matter if they are alive or dead. Wouldn’t it be cool of some elf came running at you and you just pull the magical energy out of them to cast a fireball on some other elf?” Callum looked excited. Claudia had instructed him to think of new ways of using dark magic. He had toyed with this idea before, but now that they were going to fight actual magical creatures, this use of dark magic could become a very valuable addition. 

Claudia put her finger to her chin. “Well… that would be possible, but it would be hard as well. Usually, the ingredients are somehow related to the spell that you are going to cast. But I do remember my dad using his staff to store energy and using it for all kinds of different spells, so it might be possible.”

“Great! I will focus on that! Perhaps I will be able to figure it out before the battle.” 

Claudia grinned and kissed him on the cheek. “Just a few more days! Exciting, isn’t it?”

Callum smiled. “Yeah, it is!”

They waved at the two cult members and walked away. Callum could still be heard talking excitedly about dark magic, with Claudia just cingling to him and admiring him. The cultmembers stared at the two until they appeared out of view. 

“Well, not to speak ill of the mistress, but the way she handles her new ‘pet’ is really strange.” 

The other cultist looked shocked. “Why would you say that?”

The cultist didn’t look at his friend, still just staring at the temple that Callum and Claudia disappeared into. “I Saw them making out once. It's not right.”

His friend still didn’t get it. “Why not? I mean, they look like a nice pair…”

“No, you dolt! It’s because he’s enchanted, that’s why! Don’t you think it’s a bit….you know, abusive?”

His friend just shrugged. “We’ve been given dark magic as a tool. That means we get to decide how to use it.”

The cultist looked at his friend and frowned. “That seems like a good excuse power. But nevermind, let’s talk about something else. What do you think of the plan to attack the Storm Spire? Think it’ll succeed?”

“I hope so… I’ve got a family to look after. It’d be good if those damned dragons were dead though. No more threats from Xadia. It’s what we’ve been training for for two weeks now, ever since the mistress returned, right?”

The other cultist nodded. “Agreed. I can’t wait to kill those damn dragons. We’ve always been afraid of them. At the very least, we must show them what we’re worth.”

The two cultists stayed there for a while, before returning back to the barracks, them and many others preparing for the coming storm. 

-/-/-/-

It was still morning, but only barely that. It had taken Rayla quite some effort to crawl out of bed. She didn’t want the day to begin, but she also knew that she couldn’t avoid the day, or her duties. Even if temporarily, she was still a dragonguard. Her shift started this evening. 

She sighed and looked at her room. Various articles of clothing were just strewn around the place. The desk had piles of paper on them; sketches made by Callum who lay there in unsorted heaps. _At least my room looks the way I feel…_ She looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was oily and stuck to her face and her eyes were sunken from worry and lack of sleep. _Geez, I’ve certainly looked better._ The past few weeks had been rough on her. After Callum’s disappearance, she had argued and begged with Bosor and the king and queen to let her go off on her own to find him, but they all gave her the same answer; you are still a dragonguard, and you have a responsibility towards your brothers and sisters, to your king and country. It didn’t help that Aureaum Umbra implied that disregarding her duty would certainly make her a betrayer now, to which the punishment was death. 

She shuddered. It had been a hard talk. Bosor later tried to explain the situation to her. They all took the disappearance of the prince very seriously, and, seeing as she was emotionally involved with Callum, they wanted to prevent her from making things worse. Rayla figured that since she was the cause of this mess, she couldn’t blame them. 

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door that shook her out of her thoughts.

“Rayla? Are you up?”

“Yeah…” she replied. She didn’t feel like talking to Catlyn, so she hoped she would just go away.

Ofcourse, that hope was in vain as the door opened and the older moonshadow elf came in and softly closed the door behind her. She gave Rayla a careful smile. “Hey… We missed you at breakfast.”

Rayla just shrugged. “I didn’t feel like eating.”

“You don’t feel like anything do you? You look like a mess!” Catlyn stepped towards her and moved a strand of hair out of her face. Rayla flinched, but didn’t stop her. As Catlyn saw her flinch, she smiled sadly at her. “You’re still not alright, are you?”

Rayla swallowed. “I’m alright. I’m just....” she gestured at the room as if that was any answer. “A mess, I guess.” 

“I’d say.” Catlyn said as she looked around. “You’ve been avoiding me and the others for nearly two weeks now.”

“No I haven’t. I’ve been to the meetings!”

“Well, you were present, but you rarely said anything. Mostly one word answers.” Catlyn crossed her arms as she looked at her. Rayla looked downright uncomfortable.

She balled her hands into fists as she looked away from her friend. “I’m alright, okay? I’m going to be fine!” She was startled when Catlyn suddenly bumped into her and wrapped her arms around her. “What, didn’t you hear me!? I said I’m-” Her shouting was interrupted by Catlyn shushing her.

“Shhh…” She moved her hands soothingly along Rayla’s back.

“W-what are you doing?” Her voice started to tremble now. _No! I won’t cry! I’ve cried enough about this whole mess!_

“It must have hurt.” 

When Catlyn didn’t stop her soothing motions, Rayla felt her inner walls slowly crumble away, threatening to release a torrent of pent up emotions. “...Catlyn, I said I’m fine…I...I...” She tried to make some sort of protest, but the words didn’t come out. She tried to move out of Catlyn’s grasp, but there was no strength in her hands. She felt her legs sag, and Catlyn lowered to both of them to the floor, on their knees.

“You’ve been trying so hard to put up a brave face these past few weeks. That’s really admirable. But you’re still running from it, and that’s no good.” 

Sitting on the ground, Rayla found that she could do nothing but hold onto Catlyn as all the bottled up emotions from two weeks ago rushed over her. Tears pricked in her eyes. She hiccuped as she tried to stop it all. Then, Catlyn patted her on the back of her head softly.

“It’s okay to cry.”

And with that, the last barriers crumbled away. Rayla cried in earnest, a long wail sounding through the room as tears streamed down her face. Catlyn held her for a time, just waiting for her friend to get it all out. Eventually, the words came.

“A’ve...A’ve made so many stupid mistakes…” Her voice was thick with emotion, her words barely understandable through her old accent.

“That’s alright Rayla. Everybody makes them.” 

“B-but A dunna know i-if A can still call ‘im ma boyfriend…”

Catlyn held her a little bit tighter. “Only you and him can answer that. But, do you still want him to be?”

“....yes.” A tiny voice sounded from the mess of hair on Catlyn’s shoulder.

“Then I think Callum probably wants the same.”

“Sorry, am I interrupting?” 

Both of the elves on the floor were startled as a new voice sounded from the doorway. As they looked up, they saw a female skywing elf standing there with short, dark hair and wings with black and purple feathers. 

“I’m sorry, who are you?” Catlyn asked tersely, a bit miffed that they were interrupted. 

“I’m Icra.” The girl said. Her voice had a high pitch to it and sounded melodious. “Bosor recruited me. He said that I could bunk here?”

A new series of sniffles interrupted from Catlyn’s shoulder as Rayla processed the news. 

“Some timing…” Catlyn muttered. She quickly thought of how to proceed. _Rayla must be distraught by all of this… her boyfriend gone, missing… and the feeling of being replaced…_ She detangled Rayla from herself, grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes. Rayla stared back weakly, wiping away the tears with the back of her hand. “Alright Rayla, listen to me. You go take a walk, get some fresh air, and get cleaned up a bit. I’ll take care of stuff here, make sure that this Icra lass gets settled in without touching your stuff.”

Rayla said nothing but nodded as she got up. 

“Hey, it’s gonna be fine, alright?” Catlyn said with a smile as she gently squeezed Rayla’s shoulder.

Rayla nodded, though she wondered how it ever could be ‘fine’ again. _She’s right though. I can’t think straight. I need to clear my head._ “Thanks Catlyn. I think I needed that.”

Catlyn laughed softly, still wary of the presence of the new elf hovering by the doorway. “No shit you did. You’ll be alright. You’re strong. For now, take a walk, alright?”

Rayla smiled softly and walked out of the doorway, trying very hard not to think about the fact that Icra filled the last empty spot in the dragonguard and that if anybody else was recruited, they would replace her.

-/-/-/-

Callum focussed on the goat in front of him. It was right there. Callum thought it looked stubborn. His eyes shifted to his right. Three wooden targets had been set into place for him. His eyes swiveled back to the goat. It looked at him with an accusing glare, like it knew what was about to happen. 

He felt a tinge of sadness and guilt inside of him, but it was quickly extinguished. Claudia had been clear after all. _“Do whatever it takes to master those dark magic spells!”_ So Callum had been practicing relentlessly. His eyes turned black and he aimed his hands, one at the goat and one at the targets. “Enim si ygrene ruoy, erif fo llab!” Thin almost translucent threads of energy shot from Callum’s fingers towards the goat. As soon as it touched the goat, it screeched and kicked and tried to get away as its energy was drained and was pulled into Callum’s palm. He felt the goat’s energy coarse through its body. Callum focused the energy in the fireball spell he wanted to cast, and the ball of fire appeared in his other hand. He looked to the targets, aimed at their centre and pushed with his hand. The ball shot towards the targets and obliterated them in a giant explosion. 

Pleased with the result, Callum looked around and evaluated his progress. The goat lay on the ground, panting heavily. It hadn’t used up all of its life energy, but it got close. _Transforming raw energy into a spell takes a lot more energy than just using the proper ingrediënts… I suppose I can only get one proper spell out of this goat. An elf should have more energy, so perhaps I should count on firing two spells before they are completely gone. Though it might also have to do with the fact that goats aren’t magical creatures. The only reason I can practice like this is because of the Xadian berries we feed them._ He figured that was also the only reason why Claudia’s resurrection spell had worked at the time. Had Viren’s army not eaten Xadian food during their march, Viren might not have come back from the dead at all. It worked as a catalyst, enabling you to use the energy of normal creatures for spells as well. 

Next, Callum looked at the targets. They were completely destroyed. He nodded, satisfied with the process. They would be going soon now, very soon. It was a good thing that he was getting adept at dark magic. Claudia had helped him try to get a feel for the magic, but the fact that he could recall texts and images from the spellbooks she had helped a lot as well. Coupled that with his affinity for magic, he had been growing in power at a tremendous rate. HE felt quite confident that they could take on the dragons and dragonguard together. _I don’t get why Aaravos is afraid of them. Sure, the dragonguard are elite fighters, but even Viren bested two guards on his own, and he’s not even a soldier. He just used magic. Of all the guards, I’ve only seen Bosor use magic. That means that all the others are at a disadvantage._ He already had discussed with the other cult members on how to best take out each member. _Pincealo is dangerous at a distance. Ground her, pull her close with tentacles. Catlyn and Keryn are a team, so we should separate them. Kiyara is lethal with a blade, so we should pelt her with ranged spells. Bosor is strong and dangerous, but slow. We should try to stall him, lure him away until we can use everyone to deal with him all at once. Rayla-_ As he thought of Rayla, a tiny piece of his mind panicked, yelling at him that something was very, very wrong as he thought of his plans to kill her. But he ignored it. His mistress had been clear. ‘ _Do whatever it takes to take them out, so we can get to the dragons.’_ Rayla knew how to improvise, which made her unpredictable. _We need to make sure she’s stuck somehow, by freezing her or using tentacles. As for the dragons, well..._ he grinned. _I have some plans of my own._

He stretched, readying himself for another practice round. _I should probably try other elemental spells._ Getting ready to walk away to get another goat, he felt his face itch and scratched. A bit of skin flaked off and stuck to his finger. He looked at it pensively. _That’s right… Dark magic corrupts…_ He felt his face. The skin felt thin and cracked at places, his eyes were more sunken and last time he had a mirror at hand, he knew that his hair was showing streaks of grey. Callum sighed. Normal use of dark magic wouldn’t cause corruption that fast, but he had been casting spells none-stop for nearly three weeks. Some of those spells were pretty powerful, and pretty taxing. He didn’t like the corruption. He vaguely remembered it was a ‘wrong’ thing, something he had a vision about. But he pushed that thought away. _Claudia wants me to get better at dark magic, whatever it takes._ He briefly thought of the romantic moments they had together. Claudia seemed to be completely in love with him. She said she wanted him to love her back, so he did. To him, it was as simple as that.

He then looked at the goat, unconscious but still breathing. _Claudia also said she wants me to look good…_ He stretched out his hand towards the goat, and cast another spell. _Waste not want not,_ he thought as the goat died and the energy changed Callum’s form, changing his visage back to his old self.

-/-/-/-

It was a sunny day at the Storm Spire, and though it was still chilly this high up, the sun was pleasantly shining down upon the elves working there. Rayla was making her way to the top of the Spire. She hoped that she would be alone there. This was the first time in weeks that she felt a bit better. There was still a lot of uncertainty in her life, but she felt that after Catlyn’s talk, she had a better grasp of things. Still, there were a lot of unanswered questions left. _What am I going to do now that I’m no longer a dragonguard? How am I going to get my parents and Runaan out of those coins? And above all, where’s Callum?_

As she reached the top, she was glad to see that it was abandoned right now. The guards would sometimes use this as a place to spar and practice, but this time, she had the place for herself. She sat down at the edge and dangled her legs over the side. Having worked at the Storm Spire for over half a year gave her the confidence that she wasn’t just going to fall or being blown off. She leaned back and closed her eyes. As the sun warmed her, she started to feel content, which was a feeling she didn’t have in a long time. She knew that the feeling probably wouldn’t last. The wounds were still fresh. But she would take the moments as they came. 

As she tried to think of nothing at all, she was startled by the sound of feathery wings. Hoping beyond hope, she opened her eyes and whipped around. However, her hopes were immediately crushed as she recognized the blue form and white hair of Ibis, landing in the centre of the plateau. 

“Good Morning Rayla. I hope I’m not interrupting?” He regarded her carefully as she tried to smile at him, despite the pain of disappointment. 

“Ibis… No, no, I was just...gatherin’ my thoughts, that’s all.” She got up and walked towards him. “So, what brings you to the Storm Spire?”

“Well, I did say I would come check up once in a while and...quite frankly, I’ve gotten some disturbing scrolls in the past week. Not to press a sore point, but...one of the scrolls said that you were demoted? And Callum is missing? What happened Rayla?” 

Rayla froze over. She felt like those two questions were two stones being chucked through the glass wall she had just built between herself and her storm of emotions. 

Ibis looked concerned. “Rayla, are you alright?”

She shrugged, trying very hard to hide the pain. “I dunno… I really don’t.”

“Hmmm…. Well, I don’t like seeing you like this. Would you like to talk about it?” he said as he dispelled his wings. 

Rayla winced, as the movement looked similar to Callum’s, reminding her yet again that he was missing. “I guess? I’m just so confused.”

Ibis sat down next to her, motioning for her to do the same. The plateau was warm. It had been heated up by the sun for quite some time. The feeling of warmth started to spread to her core and she felt herself relax again, but only a little. “Start from the beginning Rayla. Sometimes it helps to just put the thoughts in your head in order, like pieces of a puzzle.”

Rayla sighed and recounted her story, only this time, it started somewhere before she left for the Silvergrove. She told about how she had felt alone and how Callum’s letters were vague, about how she felt depressed and that the dragon king allowed her to leave to recover for a bit. She told Ibis with a smile about how her own people received her when she had returned and of the fun she had with Ethari now they were back together again. The story continued about finding out about Runaan being still alive, about her mission in Neolandia and her encounter with Viren, and finally about her meeting Callum back at the Storm Spire, where they broke off with her throwing a tantrum. 

“My...that’s a lot to take in!” Ibis said thoughtfully. “I can understand your predicament… What are you most bothered about right now?”

For a minute Rayla just stared off in the distance, weighing the various things that happened against each other. “I guess whether or not Callum actually cheated, and that I forced him away by getting him to do dark magic.”

“Alright, go on.” 

“Well, thing is, I was so mad at him when he confessed that he cheated, but when I asked about it, he said he had never kissed that other sl-”

“Rayla, language!”

“Right, sorry. Well, all they did was cuddle, and the way Callum talked about it… thinking about it back now, it looked like he was trying to say that that girl forced him into it? But then, is it really cheating?” Her tone was hopeful. She hoped there was a way, a reason as to why this could all just blow over. 

Ibis mulled this over for a second. _Ah, young love. How best to approach this? Hmmmm…_ “It seems to me like the two of you created a storm in a cup of water…” Ibis sighed. “My guess is that Callum felt he cheated on you because he felt guilty of his actions. Maybe cuddling is not cheating in your eyes, but it seems to me that he overstepped his own boundaries, so to him it might be. I can imagine that if his teacher, who he would look up to, said he was cheating on you, then this would only further cement the thought in his head that he had betrayed you, even if those actions aren’t really betrayal. If he was just dragged along by some elf who wanted to take advantage of him, then Callum would still feel guilty for letting himself be dragged along.”

Ibis’ reply only made the spark of hope grow inside of her. “But then...he never really cheated on me, did he?”

“Not by his choice I’d say.” Ibis gave Rayla a sympathetic look. “But these things are hard, and are only really learned by trial and error. You must understand, this is the first real relationship the two of you have ever been here. Even if you trust the other with your life, you are still testing the boundaries of what you are comfortable with, what's normal to you. What you want and do not want out of it.”

Rayla was smiling slightly now. The way Ibis said it did make the whole ordeal feel a little bit smaller, like it was put into perspective. Her smile faded though. “And what about the dark magic part?”

She feared that here, she might get some actual reproach, but she was surprised when Ibis just shrugged. “It was not right for you to do that, but you just wanted your parents back. I understand why you did it. Don’t forget, I’ve seen your parents as well as I came by here in the past, though I’ve never known them on a personal level. They seemed like good people.”

A sad smile appeared on Rayla’s face. “They were. I thought of them as traitors when they disappeared but… now I know they were actually heroes.” _Also thanks to Callum…_

“So you see? It’s not all bad. You made some mistakes, and maybe Callum made a mistake as well, but that doesn’t make the two of you evil. You are just a couple of young people, stumbling through life.” Ibis’ tone was joval now, trying to make light of the situation. 

It did make Rayla laugh. “It’s awful though. I wish I was older so I was past this all.”

“Oh, don’t wish for that! That part will come soon enough. Now-” he said as he stood up. “I’m going to see queen Zubeia. I bid you good day Rayla.”

“Thanks, you too.” She smiled at Ibis as he disappeared from view and returned to staring off in the distance, contemplating her thoughts.

-/-/-/-

Viren squinted at his desk. The pipe of papers in front of him was daunting, but he had resolved to work though them, even if it took all night. They were reports from all nations, including Xadia. While the council had decided to make Del Bar as neutral as possible, they had send scouts and spies to every nation to report back to them. It wasn’t a very extensive spy network. Most of the ‘agents’ as the council called them were actually Del Bar merchants who would write up any interesting tidbits they heard or saw and reported this back to the council in exchange for coin. One of Viren’s jobs right now was filtering this information, giving proper payment to those who provided the council with good intel and to advice the council on how to act on it. 

As Viren worked through this pile of papers, he started to notice something. A pattern, something he was familiar with when he was the head mage in Katolis. It concerned the reports from Neolandia. The sum of all these reports were that they were hoarding supplies and that troops were moved to fortresses close to the border. Furthermore, there was a heavy increase in demand for dark magic ingrediënts. The True Light was also propagating their way of life much more aggressively, in so much that they were now calling out officials for not using their mages enough to help the populace. _It is clever…_ Viren thought. _It is a subtle way to quickly get the True Light mages working in places of power._ However, this increase in activity on all fronts signified something larger. _They are going to war. But against whom?_

None of the reports mentioned a mobilitation of an entire army, just the strengthening of their borders. Judging by how much food and supplies they were gathering, Neolandia was expecting an attack soon, and was preparing itself for a prolonged conflict. _The strange thing is, none of the other countries are giving any signs that they are preparing for a war. So why is Neolandia?_ Viren decided that he would bring this to the council. _Perhaps they know something I don’t._

When Viren went to the council hall, he was surprised to find that some of the council members were gathered around a stranger; a tall man wearing a hooded, brown cape. “And who’s this then?” Viren called out as he approached the group. 

The chatter stopped and the stranger turned, revealing a clean shaven face, locks of long black hair and ice cold blue eyes. They regarded Viren for a moment, before answering in a deep voice. “We’ve met Viren. Not too long ago I’d say.”

Viren squinted at the stranger, but the voice was very familiar. “I’m sorry, I’m sure we have. Who are you exactly? And-” He eyed the other councilmembers. “What is your business with the council?”

“Ah, Viren…” one of the councilmembers started. “You _have_ met this man before. A few days ago in fact. Only at that time, he was not a man…”

Viren’s eyes widened. “Zeron!?” 

The stranger nodded. “Yes. What? Don’t look so surprised Viren. You yourself have always tested the boundaries of magic and pushed them with all your might. Are you really that surprised to find someone who can shift their form?”

“What kind of magic is that?” Viren whispered. His mind was racing. _This dragon can change forms? That is unbelievable! I must learn that power!_

The stranger smiled, but didn’t answer, instead changing the topic. “There will be plenty of time later to discuss the arcanums and dark magic.” He turned back to the council members. “”For now though, are you in agreement? Can I stay here for the time being?”

The council member smiled. “Yes, of course. You are always welcome at Del Bar, friend.”

This confused Viren. “Why does this _dragon_ need to stay here?” Viren made no attempt to hide his hostility. He didn’t hate the dragon, but he didn’t trust it either. 

Before the council members could reply, the strangers answered for them. “There is a conflict approaching, one that will shake the very foundations of this continent. The cult you founded in Neolandia is mobilizing it’s forces for a covert strike at the heart of Xadia, the Storm Spire.”

“What!? That’s preposterous... Why would Claudia do that?” Viren whispered this more to himself than to the others. _How on earth is she planning to defeat the dragons at the storm spire!? They would need great power to succeed! Could it be that they completed the Heart of a Dragon already!?_

To this, Zeron did not have an answer. “I do not know their motives behind their plan. All I know is that it will happen within the next few days. Whether they succeed or fail, it is probable that Xadia will retaliate.”

Viren groaned. This means that his hunch about the reports was correct, but he couldn’t figure out for the life of them why Claudia would wish to strike _now._ “And what of Xadia? Do they know of the impending attack?”

“Not as far as I know.” Said Zeron, who was now taking off his cloak and stashing it in a leather bag. He seemed to be making himself comfortable. “Last time I was there, they had a fully staffed guard at the ready to defend the royal family.” Zeron started off in the distance, remembering that he had mentored one of the dragonguard who was now out there, protecting the king and queen. “It will be a hard fight…” he muttered. 

“Then how come you didn’t warn them? You are a dragon of Xadia, aren’t you!?” Viren said in an accusatory tone. 

“Viren, calm yourself!” A council member admonished him. “He has never shown us any hostility, and has always graced us with his wisdom and council. What more do you want from him?”

“The truth.” Viren said, staring down Zeron who was calmly staring back at him. “I saw him at the dragonmoot. He has worked for Xadia before. I want to know why he isn’t helping them now.” 

“If I recall correctly, you were there yourself. What I told the king back then still holds true; I am not his subject. I merely worked for him because…” He hesitated, squinting at Viren. “Well, that’s not any of your business, now is it? Anyway, if I came back to warn them, they’d want me to fight for them. If I would do so, then I would no longer be a neutral party and I would make many enemies throughout this continent. If I would refuse, then I would make an enemy out of King Aureum Umbra. So, instead, I simply choose not to be there.”

Viren mulled this over. “This could all be true. Yet it still doesn’t give me a reason to trust you.” 

“I do not ask for trust, Viren, not from you at least. Sleep with your eyes open for all I care. All I want is shelter for the coming storm.” Zeron looked towards the closed door leading out of the mountain. “And from what I know, it’s going to be a big one...”

Viren didn’t reply. He just stared at the stranger before eventually taking his leave. However, he felt himself come to a resolution of sorts. _Oh, I won’t trust you Zeron. I’ll be watching you and I’m going to find out what you are after._

-/-/-/-

There was a knock on her door. “Come in!” she said jovally. Ever since her talk with Catlyn, Rayla had tried to put up her best happy face and be kind and social to her fellow guards. Most of the others had played along. They were honestly sad to see her go, but were understanding of the situation. She had talked with Gaia, the earthblood elf healer, and she thought that Rayla simply had some growing up to do. This gave her hope that perhaps one day she could return to being a dragonguard. She thought of taking it up with queen Zubeia, but ever since she was demoted she was afraid of setting foot in the great hall. 

The door creaked, and the heavy footfalls and clinking of bronze armour announced the arrival of Bosor, her captain. “Rayla, I came to see you.”

Rayla rolled her eyes before turning in his direction. _No shit. What else would you do here?_ She sat on the bed and looked at him expectantly. “What can I do for you captain?”

Bosor grabbed a chair and sat down opposite her. The chair creaked underneath the weight of the heavy warrior, but it held. “First of all; how are you doing?” The captain wasn’t wearing his helmet today. Rayla could see genuine concern in his eyes.

“Well...um...I’d say okayish?” She rubbed her neck sheepishly. She always thought that Bosor was a bit of a stuck up type, but she had to admit that he would make a pretty good captain. “I’ve been tryin’ to keep up with my chores and patrols. I didn’t miss any, did I?” 

“No, no you’ve been an exemplary dragonguard the past few days. I do not know what brought about this change, but I am happy to see the ‘old Rayla’ return to the forefront.” Bosor seemed to think a bit, stroking his short blonde beard before continuing. “Have you had any trouble with Orris?” 

Rayla grimaced. Orris had been an arse, as always. He seemed to be quite pleased with her demotion and tried to make her life extra hard. “He’s been difficult to deal with. I’ll admit I had to threaten him a couple of times to keep him off my back.”

Bosor nodded. “I expected as much. I have reprimanded him myself, but he keeps searching for a confrontation… I still have to decide whether to make his position permanent or to oust him from the guard.”

“You are actually considering that?” Rayla was surprised. She had never liked Orris, but she had valued his fighting skills and figured she had to learn to work with people she didn’t like. 

“The dragonguard only consists of eight members. It is paramount that they know how to work together. He could be the best fighter in Xadia, but if he can’t control himself, he would only weaken the dragonguard, not strengthen it.” Bosor stretched a bit, feeling cramped sitting down. “Anyway, I did not come to you to talk about that. There are two topics that I want to breach with you.” 

Rayla gulped, feeling apprehensive by his tone.”Alright, go on?” 

“First of all, there is news from Katolis. Prince Callum has not been sighted there. So far as we know, he has not crossed the border.” 

Rayla’s eyes widened. “Then we have to search for him! You have to let me-”

She was stopped as Bosor held up his hand. “I know what you are going to say, but the king’s order still stands. As long as you are dragonguard, your place is here. And I fully support that order.” He said this with a finality that broached no argument. 

Rayla bit her lip. Everything inside of her was screaming to go search for Callum, but she had lost a lot already. She did not want to become an outcast as well. She did not want to betray her fellow guards. “Alright… I’ll stay.”

“Well… that brings me to the second topic.I have found someone to fill your position. One of the tidebound tribes have finally deigned to send one of their warriors our way.”

Rayla breathed out, a sigh of both relief and disappointment. _Guess I saw that commin'..._

“I expect the warrior to arrive in two days' time. It’s best you start gathering your belongings. Your position as a member of the dragonguard will end then.”

Rayla closed her eyes, trying to hide the pain caused by those words. “Thanks for letting me know, Bosor.” 

He stood and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Rayla, you do not leave in disgrace. You have proven yourself a capable warrior. Perhaps in a few years time, when you are past your turbulent years, you can reapply if there is an opening.”

Rayla looked up to him. She was smiling, but there were also tears. She knew that Bosor’s words were in vain; dragonguards were appointed for life. It was unlikely that there would be an opening for quite some time. Still, it was nice of him to try to cheer her up. “Thanks Bosor.”

Bosor smiled awkwardly, having never been good at being tactful. “Why don’t you spend some time to write a letter to your human prince? You can leave the letter here, in case he comes back. It wouldn’t hurt to express your feelings before you leave. Perhaps it will help close the wounds.”

Rayla nodded. It sounded like a good idea. “I’ll think about that.”

He gave her another awkward smile, and looked around, trying to think of a while to not end the conversation on such a heavy topic. “How is Icra settling in, by the way?” 

“Oh, just fine. She’s not as talkative as Pincaelo, but she looks to be a sweet girl.” The skywing elf was a bit older than Rayla, but not much. She had mostly kept to herself and hadn’t tried to make conversation unless Rayla started it. Rayla got the idea that Icra knew about the situation, and tried to give her space, as they were bunking together. _It hurts that I have to leave so many kind people behind….damnit!_

Bosor saw her grimace and briefly considered asking what was the matter, but he knew there were probably many things going through her mind right now. “I’ll leave you be Rayla. Just remember that the king and queen have always been thankful of your services, and it has been my privilege to serve under you this past half year.” With that, Bosor left and closed the door softly. 

Rayla sighed and stood, taking stock of whatever she was going to take with herself. Her eye immediately fell on Callum’s sketchbook. She grabbed it and thought of the many joyful memories she had of him. _There’s a bright side to this I guess. I can finally get out of here to search for Callum!_ She sat down and stared longingly at a sketch of the two of them. The rest of the night was spent leafing through the book, once more desperately wishing he was there with her. 

-/-/-/-

Dust clouds could be seen in the distance, marking the spot where the small army of dark mages were traveling, quickly disappearing in the distance. The group was led by Callum and Claudia, and they had taken fifty of their best trained warriors with them for their mission to slay the dragon king and take his heart. 

Aaravos looked at the cloud from his vantage point, contemplating this new turn of events. _This ‘True Light’ cult has grown strong indeed, this is true, but attacking the enemy at their point of strength is nothing but folly._ He had cursed his luck when Claudia had brought back that particular boy. Before Claudia, Aaravos had to deal with Viren. _Viren was easy, predictable. He craved power, even if he made all the excuses in the world that it wasn’t for himself. He was easy to manipulate. This daughter of his is different, more emotional, more impulsive…_

He hated the fact that he couldn’t talk her out of this plan that she had cooked up with this Callum person. The charm spell made a person do whatever the caster wanted, to the best of their abilities. Apparently, Claudia had been clever enough to give Callum the right orders. This kid had cooked up a half-decent plan to complete multiple objectives in short order; complete the Heart of a Dragon, wipe out the ruling dragons and absorb the power of the young wyrm. Aaravos hoped that they would succeed. _I need power to escape my prison. Either the Heart of a Dragon, or the power of that fledgling whelp will do._

As the dust clouds disappeared beyond the horizon, he found his thoughts grow dim and dark. _But how can they succeed? They are fighting against a fully formed dragonguard and two archdragons. They are betting a lot on Callum’s skills with dark magic and the sky arcanum. If he should fall, this entire plan will be in shambles._ _And if Claudia fails to return, my chances of ever being free are slim indeed…_

He stared at the horizon though his control spell, before yawning. _I’d better get some rest…_ With his mind, he steered the bug into a corner of one of the caves that riddled the mountain. The bug would defend itself if disturbed, but would not move away without Aaravos’ directions. Still slightly worried about the outcome of the coming battle, he moved around his prison, trying to find some solace in books he had read a thousand times before.

-/-/-/-

Rayla hummed a sweet old tune as she sat down at her desk. _This’ll be the last time I’m writing something here, I guess…_ She had cleaned her room and stowed all of her belongings in her bag. The moon necklace Callum gave her hung around her neck, and the bag with coins was safely tucked inside her vest. She had looked at them every day. Her parents seemed happy to see her, Runaan seemed confused. _I’ll find a way to release you, I promise._ She had thought as she stowed the coins safely away. 

Today was her last day here. The tidebound tribe had arrived, as Bsor had said two days ago. They were waiting at the grasslands beneath the mountain right now. Despite the fact that this meant that she had to leave the Storm Spire, she was still in high spirits. It had been a very sunny day and she was looking forward to get out of here and start her search for Callum.

There was only one thing to do now; write her last letter to Callum as a member of the dragonguard. She hoped that she would find him soon, but just in case he did show up here she wanted there to be some word or message to him from her. _I want him to know how I feel. It was a pretty good idea of Bosor actually. It might help to put some of my feelings in the letter._ She took a deep breath, dipped her goosefeather pen in the small ink jar and began to write. 

_My dearest Callum,_

_It is strange to write this letter to you. These past few weeks have been all kinds of strange to be honest. How are you doing? And where are you? I have so many questions._

_I am writing this letter just in case you show up at the Storm Spire and I’m not there to greet you. Why? Well, we didn’t exactly parted on good terms, and I want to make it clear how I feel about that and how I feel about you. So, here goes I guess._

_Let me start off with an apology. I am so sorry Callum. I really behaved like an idiot. There are a lot of excuses I want to make, like that I was confused and emotional. But that still makes me an idiot. I shouldn’t have scolded at you. I shouldn’t have thrown stuff at you. I shouldn’t have screamed at you like that. Instead, I should have remained calm and listened to you. But I couldn’t. I lost control over myself and I’m sorry for that._

_I guess we still have some things that are unresolved. I feel very conflicted about your confession, but I think that we can only get through this if we talk about it. I need to know more about what happened at your school, and why you feel so guilty about it. Because, honestly? To me it still doesn’t sound like you actually cheated. Maybe there are still some things I don’t know that you have to tell me, or maybe we are just overreacting. We’ll only find out if we talk about it._

_A part of me still really hopes that you can help me get my parents and Runaan out of the coins, but it was unfair of me to ask you to use dark magic. There is no excuse for doing that to you. We both know what you went through when you had used it that one time. You were ill for some time and nearly stopped breathing. When I asked you that, I wasn’t thinking about the consequences. I was emotional from your confession and just wanted your help in getting my parents back. When you refused, something broke inside of me. I felt betrayed, even though you’ve been nothing but supportive of me. Please believe me when I say that I am truly sorry for asking that of you. I will never ask something like that again._

_What's important to me right now are two things; we are both sorry for what we did, and I still love you very much. I love you so much that it hurts to be without you, you know? If you have any doubt about us; don’t. I love you, and I want to be with you! I just hope that you still feel the same._

_So, now that you know this, perhaps I should explain to you why you haven’t found me at the Spire. Well, the thing is, that whole mission to get the coins back was kind of irresponsible. That, together with what happened between us was enough for the dragon King to throw me out of the guard. Yes, I know that will probably make you mad, but honestly? He’s kind of right. I'm too young. What do I know of leading all the other warriors? As soon as I get pressured, I break down! It’s a good thing Bosor is taking over. I think he will make an excellent dragonguard captain! I also think he has a good eye for new recruits. I’ve bunked together with Icra for a couple of weeks. She’s a skywing elf. She’s kind and talkative, but not so excitable as Pincaelo, which is a nice change of pace._

_So, there you have it. You now know how I feel about things. I hope that I get back to you soon, so I can give you all the cuddles and kisses you need. Should you read this and wonder where I am, well, I’m probably looking for you silly! But my home is in the Silvergrove, so I will probably go back there often._

_I hope that you are alright, and that I will find you soon. I send you all the love of my heart,_

_Forever yours,_

_Rayla_

She put down the pen and quickly wiped away a few tears that had been blurring her eyes. She blew on the parchment to dry the ink, folded it and closed it with the wax seal of the dragonguard. As she stood and made ready to leave her room for good, she suddenly felt a cold wind blowing through the cracks of the door. The air smelled of storm and rain. She frowned. _That is strange… It was sunny a moment ago..._

-/-/-/-

The Storm Spire rose in front of the large group of humans as they closed in on their target. It was a sunny day with few clouds in the sky. An encampment could be seen in front of the Spire. Callum and Claudia stood in the shade of a tree, trying not to attract their attention as they surveyed the situation. 

Claudia stared at the Storm Spire. “It’s still as big as I remembered.” 

Callum snorted. “You expected it to shrink or something?”

This made her laugh and she gave him a playful shove. “Come on! You know what I mean! It’s been a while since I’ve last been here.” She had a sad smile on her face. Though she had escaped the battle with her life, she had to do terrible things to restore her fathers. And he wasn’t even with her right now.

Callum stood next to her and squeezed her hand, guessing what she was thinking about. “Don’t worry about it. This time, _you_ will be victorious!”

There was a commotion in the distance. Some of the elves had spotted the group of humans. It looked like they were grabbing their weapons.

“What a strange bunch of elves.” Claudia said, shielding her eyes from the sun. “They are blueish, and have...fins?” 

“Tidebound elves. “ Callum answered for her. 

“Ah, mistress.” one of the cult members approached her. They were all dressed in white, hooded robes, though the robes were short enough that they could move around in them freely. It was the standard wear for the mages of the True Light. “Should we attack?”

Claudia seemed pensive for a moment. “What do you think, Callum?”

“I think we should wait a bit. Let me cast a spell first, to prevent them from fleeing or gathering reënforcements.” He started to disrobe, pulling off his sweater and scarff.

“Oh, that’s nice!” She ran her hand along the tattoo’s on his chest. He didn’t flinch as she did. “What are you going to do?” 

Callum grinned wickedly. “Let’s start with a big opener…”

-/-/-/-

Catlyn was unsure what was going on, but she had her daggers out and was following the tidebound elves who were now rushing up the hill, tridents at the ready. Pincaelo flew close behind her, bow at the ready. Once the group of humans was sighted on top of the hill, the tidebound elves had quickly gathered their weapons. They had tried to talk them out of attacking these strange newcomers, but this only annoyed the tidebound elves as they still thought of every human as an enemy. Catlyn had gotten them to agree to only capture them to see what they were up to. For such a large group to show up at the Storm Spire unannounced was strange indeed!

Suddenly, the sky began to grow dark. As Catlyn looked up, she saw dark clouds appearing from out of nowhere. As she looked back to the group of humans in front of her, she saw that one of them was covered in glowing runic tattoos. _What on earth is going on here!?_ As they got closer and closer to the humans, she heard them starting to chant… _spells!?_ Their eyes turned to black and dark, purple tendrils shot out towards the fast approaching elves. 

Lightning flashed through the sky as dark magic spells were shot off and impacted with the first tidebound elves. Some were scorched, some were hurled into the sky and another one fell to the ground , gasping for breath. _Shitshitshit! This is bad!_ Catlyn looked back to where Pincaelo was still hovering. “Pin!” She called out over the sound of the rushing wind. Pincaelo shot an arrow, but the wind blew it off course, causing it to fall into the grass harmlessly. “Pin, don’t bother! The wind is too strong!”

Pincaelo put down her bow. “What should I do then?” She looked scared. Catlyn figured she couldn’t be that experienced with combat if that was her reaction. “Fly off! Get help!” Catlyn had already figured out that this situation was a lost cause; they were outnumbered and outmatched. She estemated about 40 to 60 dark mages versus maybe half that number of elves. “Get the other dragons! We’ll stall them!”

“A-alright!” Pincaelo spread her wings and flew upwards. However, the wind increased in strength. Catlyn was horrified as she saw the wind slam into her fellow dragonguard. Pincaelo struggled for control for a few seconds before the wind casually tossed her about like a leaf caught in an autumn storm. She screamed as she was tossed to the ground and picked up again. Catlyn gritted her teeth. There was nothing she could do about it. Then she looked at the figure with the glowing tattoo’s. _Or is there?_

-/-/-/-

“Keep at it boys!” The cultists shouts were exuberant as they tossed the elves about with their magic. Since they outnumbered the elves two to one, it was easy to keep them at a distance, even if the elves fought back faroushisly. 

Callum maintained his focus on the storm spell. The elves were too close now to be affected by it, but he looked with some satisfaction as at least one skywing elf was caught in the storm, unable to escape. _They won’t get reënforcements if they can’t call for help. Claudia will succeed this time, like she wants._

Then, suddenly, the fighting on the battlefield shifted as the elves rallied around someone. Though heavily wounded, the tidebound elves did not stop fighting until they had breathed their last, and they were now fast approaching Callum. The cultists tried to stop the tide of elves, but had to jump out of the way as several thrown tridents nearly impaled them. There was only a single line of darkmages protecting Callum from the onslaught. He prepared himself to cast something to defend himself when out of the blur of moving elves, someone jumped over the cultists and landed in front of them. He was surprised to be face to face with Catlyn.

“Dark mage! I will ki-....Callum!?” Catlyn held her daggers high, ready to strike when she froze as she looked at his face.

“Oh, hey Catlyn!” was Callum’s joval reply. He smiled at her, but then looked concerned. “Could you step out of the way for a bit? Those elves are trying to kill me, so I probably should kill them first.” he said as he drew the rune of fulmunus.

“Wha!? Callum! What are you doing! Stop this! These elves are our friends!” 

Callum looked confused. “Are they?” 

A sizzling sound was rapidly approaching. Catlyn noticed and ducked out of the way as a bolt of dark, flaming energy flew through the spot where she just stood. “Callum! They are the enemy! Kill them!”

“Her too? Alright! Anything for you Claudia!” 

Catlyn watched in disbelief as Callum’s smile turned into an evil grin. “Enim si ygrene ruoy, dezimixam!” He stretched out his hand towards her face, his eyes turning black and black tendrils stretching from his fingers. Then all of a sudden she was pushed out of the way by a tidebound elf who had broken through. “I will kill the dark mage!” he roared as he raised his trident to impale Callum.

Callum simply shifted his attention towards the newcomer. “Your mistake.” He released the spell. The elf screamed as black tendrils shot towards him and wrapped around his body. The energy was sucked out of his body, which began to smoke and sizzle. His muscles disappeared and his skin was stretched across his bones. 

The husk fell to the ground, the lifeless eyes reflecting the stormclouds above them. Catlyn was frightened. She had never seen the power of dark magic up close like this. What was even more terrifying was that Callum had just killed an elf in cold blood. As she looked at him, she gasped involuntarily as she saw that his entire facade was cracked and corrupted. His left hand was pulsing with unreleased dark energy, his black eyes staring at her as he slowly walked towards her. She scrambled back, looking around for any kind of support, but to her shock she saw that most of the tidebound elves had already been subdued or killed. “No...nonononono!” She got op, frantic in her movement and brandished her dagger.

Callum’s arm shot out towards her and the dark tendrils of energy lifted her in the air. Some of the black energy flowed to his other hand, making it crackle with dark purple jolts of lightning. “Sekips ygrene kc-Agh!” Callum flinched and put his hand to his cheek. The skin was torn open and was bleeding profusely. He looked back at the elf who held out an empty hand, having just thrown a dagger. In an instant he noticed her reading her other arm. He had to act quickly. With no time for long incantations, he focussed his power and pushed her away from him with all his might. “Yawa!” 

Catlyn was suddenly thrown back into the air with such force that she lost her grip on the other dagger. The group of humans was rapidly shrinking below her as she flew through the air. She was struggling to control her body, flailing around helplessly. Then the wind pounded into her and she was thrown into a different direction as she had exited the safe space around Callum. _This is it,_ she thought. _This is how I’m going to die!_ She pressed her eyes shut as the wind tumbled her around before she felt a hand grab her arm and pull hard, nearly pulling it out of its socket. She opened her eyes. _Pincaelo!_ Her friend looked frayed, but was hanging on to her for dear life, trying to fight the wind to keep them from smacking into the ground. 

The wind didn’t relent though, and they were trusted sideways, the side of the mountain rapidly approaching. Catlyn tried to yell to watch out, but the sound was drowned out by the storm. Within moments, the both of them crashed into the mountain, tumbling down until they landed hard on the stairway leading upwards. The both of them groaned. 

“Can you walk?” Catlyn asked, checking herself for injuries.

“Auch! My wings! Cat! I-I think I broke my wing!” Pincaelo was in tears as she twisted and turned, trying to get a better look. 

Catlyn held her and examined her wings. One of them had an unnatural bend to it. She hissed. “Quickly, we’ve gotta get up there. We have to get you to Gaia, and we have got to warn the others!”

-/-/-/-

The group of humans had made quick work of the tidebound elves and were now in the process of harvesting anything useful from their bodies. Claudia was directing them, urging them to hurry. 

“C’mon people! Let’s go, let’s go! There’s a dragon waiting at the top of the spire!” She turned to Callum, who was staring upwards, his tattoo’s still glowing softly as he maintained concentration on his storm spell. “So, what do we do next?”

“I should cast the Ventus Spiralis spell on everyone, so they can actually breathe up there. Then we have got to climb. I can’t fly us up there by my lonesome, and I don’t stand a chance if I go up there by myself.” He looked back to Claudia. “But if we stick together, then I’m sure we’ll be fine. This mission will succeed Claudia! I promise you that!” His cracked, greyish face broke in a smile.

Clauda stared at her friend’s face. Though scarred from the heavy use of dark magic, she could still see the boy she loved in his face. “Oh Callum…” Wrapping her arm around the charmed young man, she kissed him passionately. 

He kissed her back before untangling himself from her. “Just make sure everyone stays close to me. I will keep them safe.” Callum said, his black eyes frowning in concentration. “Remember, _I_ am the eye of the storm.”

-/-/-/-

Everyone had huddled inside the great hall when the storm broke out. Nobody was sure what had happened as the skies were mostly clear a few minutes ago. Ibis looked worried. Rayla was about to go to him when she heard the hurried steps coming from the hall. 

“They’re coming!” Catlyn shouted. She stopped for a bit to catch her breath. “I-I… I couldn’t stop them.” 

The dragon king snarled. “Who dares to attack the Storm Spire!?”

“The...the-” Catlyn was panting. She had tried her hardest to get up there quickly, but the storm had made their advance treacherous. “The mages… the dark mages…”

Pincaelo now entered after her. She stumbled in the great hall and let herself fall to the floor. Gaia rushed towards her. “Oh my, poor dear, let me look at you!” 

The king ignored this, still focussed on Catlyn. “How many?”

“At least 50 that I saw. They...are led by a mighty sorcerer.” Catlyn was kneeling on one knee, still catching her breath. She hesitated. _Should I tell them?_

“A small group…” the dragon rumbled. No wonder that none of our border posts noticed them…” His eyes widened suddenly. “What of the tidebound delegation!?”

Catlyn winced, hesitating but a second before answering. “Slaughtered to the last.” 

A gasp went through the crowd. Everybody was stunned by the news. Queen Zubeia looked around quickly, trying to process all this information. She turned to Ibis. “Ibis, you’ve always helped us when needed. Can you reach the other dragons and ask for help?”

Ibis thought about this only for a moment before shaking his head, a grim expression on his face. “It’s no use. This storm is not a natural occurrence. It is preventing anyone from entering the area around the spire, even the dragons. I could slip out using my own bond to the sky arcanum, but even if I reached anyone in time, which I doubt, then they wouldn’t be able to get close enough to help.” He looked up to the great female storm dragon. “Your majesty, you would be able to traverse the storm though. You are a storm dragon. You could flee and bring yourself and Zym to safety.”

“Possibly, but that course of action is not without its risks.” Bosor had stepped forward, addressing Ibis and the queen. “These mages are led by Viren I presume. We cannot begin to guess what magic they have at their disposal. With this storm, we are unable to cover you should you make your escape. They could very well bring you down without any of us able to do something about it.”

Ibis frowned. “Yes...I hadn’t considered that. I suppose I could aid you, but I do not know what my magic could do against fifty of those mages. My king, what do you suggest?” 

Everyone turned towards the king, but the great moonshadow dragon hadn’t moved, seeming frozen in place. For the first time since anyone could remember, the great dragon king looked afraid. He coughed, then snarled, until the snarl turned into the roar. All in the cave, including the dragon queen covered their head. “Damn those mages! Damn dark magic, and damn all humans!” He looked at the gathered dragonguard,or what was left of them. “Very well then. We are in dire straits. We are trapped by this storm and we are on our own. We might be facing our doom, but remember, you are the dragonguard, the most elite fighting force in all of Xadia!” The king looked menacing as he spoke. “I will not pretend that this fight will be easy for any of us. But if you have to give your life for Xadia, make sure they’ll pay dearly for it!” 

Catlyn held up her hand. “One more thing, my king. I have discovered the identity of the mage who leads them.” She looked at Bosor. “It’s not Viren.” 

Rayla breathed with relief. _At least we won’t be facing that mad man again._ The last time she faced him, she had very nearly died herself. Callum had saved her, and he was the only reason she still lived today. _Oh, Callum, where are you? I need you here…_ She was pulled out of her thoughts by the harsh voice of the dragon king.

“What!? If not Viren, then who?” 

Catlyn looked away, avoiding Rayla’s gaze. Just that subtle movement made Rayla’s heart drop a bit with worry, though she couldn’t tell why. “I saw the mage from a distance, and managed to close in. I tried to kill him but failed. But… I got close enough to see his face.” Catlyn swallowed, then looked directly at Rayla. “It’s...It’s Callum Rayla…. He’s coming for us.”

Rayla’s eyes widened and her heart plummeted in her chest. The dragon king roared and screamed betrayal while the dragon queen covered Azymondias with her wings, who was trembling with fear. The various dragonguard looked at each other, some confused, most very angry, but none of that registered with Rayla. Her heart was wrenched with fear and guilt as she thought of having to fight the one human she had grown to love. 

_Callum...no!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s notes: 
> 
> Well, here’s the update. Sorry for the delay everyone. We had a renovation planned around this time, but it all started a little early, and I didn’t have the time to finish this chapter before that ate up all my time. I wrote some parts, then had to rewrite several parts to make it shine. All of this also means that the next chapter will be released a little later than usual… I’ll try to post it as soon as it’s done.
> 
> Anyway, I do hope you enjoy the story. Things are coming to a head, as they should in the final episode. What will happen? Who will survive? Find out next time!
> 
> As always, please leave a review to let me know your thoughts. I do appreciate it!


	10. Storm's End

Chapter 10 - Storm's End  
  
  


The storm raged on as about fifty humans ascended the stairs on the Storm Spire. It was a slow ordeal. They felt the need to hurry, but Callum placated them. “Don’t worry.” he said. “The storm will keep them trapped. There is nowhere for them to go to.”

The men accepted this and felt encouraged by his presence. In the short time that Callum had been with the True Light, he had garnered a reputation of being very knowledgeable about magic, and being a very happy and kind person overall. While Claudia was leading the expedition, they still accepted Callum’s words without issue.

Callum and Claudia both took the lead, with Callum focussing on the stormspell, while Claudia was on the lookout for any ambushes or traps. She still had her sunstone staff with her, the one her father gave her for the previous battle. _If I see any dragons flying around, I’ll blast them out of the sky!_ She gripped her staff tightly as she peered at the skies.

“What do you think we will face up there?”

Callum thought for a bit. “That depends on what we will face before we get there. The halls where the dragons are only have one way in or out. If they stay there, they’ll be trapped. If they’re smart, they will try to attack us before we get there and try to take us by surprise.”

“Well, if they do, we’ll just blast them from the mountain! Pew pew!” Claudia held her staff like a bow, pretending to shoot at imaginary enemies. 

Callum chuckled. “I’m sure they will try to do the same. Oh, can I ask you something?” 

Claudia blinked. Ever since she charmed him, he had done exactly as she asked of him, but he rarely asked anything in return. For him to show this kind of initiative was rare in his charmed state. She figured it must be important to her or him. “Yeah, sure!”

“While we’re up there, can you order one of the men to go to the captain's room and grab my stuff? I left my leather satchel there, a brown one… oh! And my sketchbook!”

This made her smile. “Awww…. And if I do that, will you sketch me?” She asked in a singsong voice. 

Callum’s corrupted face cracked in a smile. “Of course Claudia! Anything for you!”

“Hmmm, alright!” She relayed the order to the other mages before continuing upward. The rest of the journey was mostly spent in silence. Internally, she was debating with herself about the charm spell she put on Callum. Part of her felt like she was abusing him, but she desperately tried to convince herself that it was for the greater good. _Besides, if this goes on long enough, he’ll probably get used to it. Yeah, that’s it! Once a long time has passed and I dispel the charm, he’ll be glad I did it!_

They walked on with Claudia still looking upwards for dragons. She found it odd that no dragon had yet tried to attack them from the air, or tried to escape. _If they escape, this whole trip will be for nothing! I know Callum said he could use his magic to trap them, but is this storm really enough?_ “Callum, this storm prevents the archdragons from leaving, right?”

Callum however, was completely unconcerned. “Yeah, it should. Maybe the queen could navigate the storm, being a storm dragon and all that. Zym would be too young. I doubt he can fly very well in this weather. But if the queen leaves, we would see her there.” He pointed upwards. The inkblack storm clouds were swirling around the Storm Spire, never touching it. Streaks of lightning continuously illuminated it from all sides. “If she does try to fly away, we could take her down with ranged spells easily.”

“Alright, if you say so.” They continued walking the stairs in silence, until eventually Claudia spoke up again. “How long did you say we have to climb these stairs?”

“Oh, with this pace? Maybe half an hour or so.” 

Claudia groaned.

-/-/-/-

“They will be here shortly.” Bosor grunted, his eyes peered from behind his helmet to the large doorway beyond which the rain and lightning were clearly visible.

“So what is our plan?” Ibis stood next to him. They both looked worried and were on edge by the whole situation.

“Protecting the royal family is paramount.” Bosor answered, looking at the queen and Zym. “We must find a way to get them to safety.”

“Ibis,” king Aureum Umbra’s voice resonated through the cavern as he addressed the skywing mage. “What can you do about this storm?” 

Ibis looked thoughtful for a moment. “I could try to dispel it. I am well versed in the sky arcanum, so I know what spell Callum has used to conjure this storm. However, it would take a long time, and it would be very simple for him to cast the same spell again. It pains me to say it, but, the sooner we take him out of the equation, the better.” 

Bosor nodded. “Agreed. However, if we wait for him to come to us, he will be protected by the power of those other mages. It will be hard to get close to him. We must dwindle their numbers somehow.”

They thought about this for a bit. Ibis was the first to respond. “Well, what I can do is negate a small portion of the storm around me, so if one were to stay close to me, we could take the fight to them.” 

“And how much of this storm can you negate?” The dragon king asked, looming over them.

“Well, enough to create a bubble to fit all of the dragonguard, or-” Ibis looked at the king. The archdragon was massive, his white and dark-blue scales gave him a somewhat mythical appearance, and the four horns that crowned his head made him look menacing. “-if I focus really hard, one, gargantuan dragon.”

The king smiled. It was a grim smile, one created out of desperation. “Very well then. Guide me through the storm Ibis. Then I will show them the power of an arch moondragon!” He turned towards the queen, who up until now was trying her best to calm down Zym. “Queen Zubeia!” 

The queen turned her head towards the king. “Yes? What shall we do?” The queen still sounded regal, but everyone could hear the soft tremor in her voice.

“Ibis will guide me through the storm. Then I will strike down as many of those mages as I can. Once I give the signal, you will take the prince and fly far away from here.” 

The queen nodded hesitantly. “Are you sure you don’t need any help Aureum?” 

“I do, but not from you my queen.” He looked down at Bosor. “The mages will undoubtedly wear me down. Be ready to storm out when the time is right. We must prevent being cornered in the great hall at all costs!”

Bosor saluted. “Your will be done my liege!” 

The king grunted and lowered his head. “Get on then Ibis. Help me show those humans the might of a Xadian king!” 

Ibis climbed on his back. “I will guide you, my liege. Negate caeli!” The air around the dragon started to shimmer. Ibis immediately grimaced, feeling the strain of trying to extend the bubble all the way around the dragon.

The king inhaled and roared, before charging out the doorway. Bosor turned to the rest of the dragonguard. “Elves of Xadia. This is the hour where we prove ourselves dragonguard. On the signal of our king, we will charge.” Bosor looked at the group. He saw determination in their eyes. Catlyn, Keryn and Kiyara looked grim. Gaia was helping Pincaelo stand. They were looking terrified. 

Orris however was smiling madly. “Bring it on! I will kill them all! Hahaha!” He had pulled his sword and was swinging it around, warming up.

Bosor frowned, but did not intervene with his behaviour. _Let him. We could use his madness on the battlefield soon._ His eyes scanned the cave, seeking the last dragonguard, a member who had been on the verge of leaving. A person he now desperately needed. He spotted Rayla, huddled in a corner. She looked like she had been crying.

He approached her. Rayla immediately looked up, noticing his heavy footfalls. He stood in front of her and stared down. Rayla stared back, her eyes red from crying, the pain on her face as clear as day.

“Come with me.” 

-/-/-/-

“Do you hear that?” Clauda looked into the storm clouds. 

“That sounded like a dragon.” Callum grit his teeth. “Maybe queen Zubeia is trying to escape after all. Mages, get ready to fire a long-distance fireball!” The mages behind them grabbed the right ingredieënts. They had practiced this. There were several spells they could do if the dragon would try to flee. It would be difficult to hit the dragon at this distance though, but Callum was fairly confident that with fifty mages firing off their spells, one of them would hit. And the queen needed both wings to fly…

They all looked up as a dark shadow released itself from the mountain. It dove forwards into the storm clouds where it started on a large arc, moving back towards the mountain at a lower angle. The dark mages didn’t hesitate and released their fireballs. They rocketed towards the shape, the dark flames seemingly impervious to the wind and rain as they sped through the air. The dragon corkscrewed and dodged the first volley. As the dragon closed in, Callum recognized who it was.

Callum’s eyes widened in surprise. “It’s the king! It’s Aureum Umbra! But how is he flying through the storm like that!?” 

“Does it matter? We need to bring him down before he’s onto us! Noctu Igne!” The dark orb of fire formed on Claudia’s staff and she hurled it towards the dragon king. Unfortunately for her, he dodged this as well. 

It would be seconds before he was onto them now. His mouth opened, exposing rows and rows of sharp teeth, but deep within his throat, a blueish-white light could be seen.

“Dive!” Screamed Callum. “He’s gonna use his breath attack!” The dark mages scrambled for cover, but there weren’t a lot of rocks jutting out the side of the mountain to hide behind. With a roar king Aureum Umbra shot out his ray of pure, blinding moon energy. As he flew past the mountainpath up the spire the ray scorched and incinerated all that it touched. 

Callum had grabbed Claudia and had ducked behind one of the larger rocks. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the heat and the rumbling of the mountain. He heard the screams of the other mages. _Oh no, did he wipe out everyone!?_

“Callum, look!” Claudia prodded him and pointed at the scene around them. There were definitely scorch marks where the moonbeam had hit, but in a last desperate attempt, clusters of dark mages had banded together and had erected shields made of dark energy. Alone they wouldn’t be able to make it strong enough, but by working together they had managed to block the full force of the beam. Unfortunately, not everyone had been so lucky. Several charred husks lay on the stairs, evidence that not all members had been able to find shelter. There had also been screams of those that had fallen off by the blast. They were too high up to see who had fallen, but they had definitely taken casualties. 

“We need to bring him down!” Callum was thinking. He was still focussing on his storm spell. _Should I drop it? But then, the entire dragonguard will be onto us! Damn! How is that dragon still flying through the storm!?_

“Mages! Fire your best shots!” Clauda called to the mages as she charged her own spells and released them at the dragon who was now flying away in a large, circular pattern. The cult members followed suit but again the dragon managed to dodge all of their blasts with unnatural ease. “How does he do that!?” Claudia was frustrated. 

Callum shared her frustration, but saw that the dragon was circling back towards him again. “Doesn’t matter right now Claudia, duck!” He pulled her back behind the large rock. 

The dragon soared passed once again, blasting the group with a white beam of pure light and energy. Most of the mages were prepared this time, but some had tried to get in a better position to shoot back and were instantly incinerated. Screams could be heard of a few mages who were blasted down the mountainside, disappearing in the depths. 

“Mistress!” One cultmember rushed towards them, a panicked look on his face. “That dragon is destroying our group! We’ve already lost twelve of our mages!”

“Twelve!?” Claudia hadn’t realised that the attacks had hit them that hard. She was just glad that they had managed to avoid the dragon’s breath weapon. She turned to Callum. “We need to do something!”

Callum peered at the dragon that was again circling back to them. As he peered in the distance, he thought that he saw a small figure on the back of the dragon. _Wait...a small blue figure? An elf that enables the king to fly through the storm? I see now…_ He turned towards Claudia. ”I know why the dragon is not affected by the storm. Quickly, grab hold of me.” 

She blinked. “Callum, I love you, but now is not the time to-” 

“Just trust me Claudia!” 

Claudia was taken aback by how earnest he looks. _Is this still the spell that’s controlling him, or is this really him?_ She hesitated, glancing back between Callum and the fast approaching dragon. “Callum, I don’t know… it’s dangerous!” She did not know if she was controlling him now. She didn’t feel in control of the situation at least, so she took a step back.

“Claudia! What are you doing!?” Callum looked panicked now. The dragon was nearly upon them again. 

“I’m sorry Callum!” She hid behind the stone again, waiting for the moonbeam to pass. 

Callum pressed his teeth together in frustration. He wanted to fly towards the dragon and take out Ibis, but he couldn’t do both at the same time. He needed someone to cast magic while he was flying. But if Claudia didn’t trust him enough to help him then he couldn’t do it. He looked back towards the dragon. _It’s about to fire!_ With nowhere to run in the split second he had left, he dove off the side of the mountain.

The dragon strafed the mountainside again, his breath weapon scorching a long dark line along the mountain stairs. Parts of the stairs started to crumble, and even though the mages managed to erect a shield again in time, some slipped down the mountainside as the ground gave way. 

The rock where Claudia was hiding behind sagged suddenly as the beam of energy hit it. “What? Oh no oh no ho no!” Claudia pressed herself away from the rock, trying to get to sturdier ground, but she had been leaning against it with her full weight. As it toppled, she wasn’t fast enough to get away from it. Within a moment she found herself falling downwards. She screeched in horror, flailing with her arms as she fell down. 

Suddenly she saw a brown spot from the corner of her eye. It moved towards her at great speed and impacted with her, dragging her upwards with its momentum. She was surprised when she saw Callum’s face attached to the giant brown wings. “Please hold onto my neck! I need to flap my wings!” he quickly said as they began to lose momentum again. 

She did as he asked, putting her arms around him and holding her staff behind his back. With a powerful flap, Callum thrust himself further up in the sky, closer towards the dragon king. “I think that’s Ibis on the back of the dragon. He’s a sky mage, like me. I think that’s why the king fly through the storm unaffected.” His eyes caught hers. “We need to separate him from the king. Can you do that?” 

Claudia was still speechless by her brush with death and how he had saved her. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She then nodded quickly. Callum smiled at her. “Alright, then let’s get them!” 

-/-/-/-

The ground rumbled as Rayla and Bosor walked through the hall and into an alcove. It had been only minutes since the dragon king had left, and already they could feel the vibrations of impacts against the mountainside. Bosor had taken her away from the others. They were standing in a dimly lit hallway. Rayla looked at the various doors leading to the other guards’ dorms. They had been growing together, becoming a family. She had resigned herself to the fact that she would have to say goodbye to her family once again, but never in a million years did she imagine that there would be an attack on the Storm Spire on her last day here.

“Rayla.” Bosor’s gruff voice snapped her out of her reveries. “Can you fight?”

She scoffed, crossing her arms, trying to look stronger than she felt right now. “Of course I can fight!”

Bosor nodded, but seemed unsure to continue. After some hesitation, he said; “Of all the dragonguard, you are the only one truly versed in the ways of stealth. You are a moonshadow assassin. When the mages crest the mountainside, I want you to stay out of the fight until you get a clean shot at killing their leaders, including Callum.” 

Rayla paled. _I should have seen this coming_. “No, Bosor, why!? Can’t we just capture him or somethin’!? We’re not even sure he’s not a prisoner! We don’t know why he’s here!” She pleaded with him, hoping that she didn’t have to do this. 

Bosor grimaced, though Rayla could not see it because of his helmet. He hated the fact that Rayla was emotionally involved, but she was the only one with the right skill set for a surprise attack. None of the other warriors were as stealthy as she was. “Rayla, listen to me. We don’t know why Callum is attacking the Spire, only that he is. This storm is his doing. We know that much. And as long as he’s alive, we will be unable to evacuate or call for help.” 

Rayla looked down on her feet. She knew Bosor was right, yet she couldn’t believe that Callum had turned on them. She refused to believe that!

“Rayla… I cannot force you to do this. But if you don’t, everyone here will die. Not just you and me, but the rest of the dragonguard, the king and queen, the dragon prince…” 

She pressed her eyes shut, fighting her tears for the umpteenth time these past few weeks. _Will Callum really kill me? Perhaps it would be better if he did…_ _I don’t want to feel this way… But the prince…_ She thought of the tiny dragon prince, the joyful dragon that was the hope for peace and prosperity not just for Xadia, but for the entire world. _Oh gods…_ She opened her eyes and faced Bosor. She looked angry now, her face set with grim determination. “I’ll try Bosor. You have my word on that.”

“That’s all I ask.” The mountain rumbled. A roar of pain echoed through the mountain halls. “The king will retreat shortly. It looks like he failed to clear a path for the queen. Come. They will be here soon.” With that, they both walked back towards the entrance of the spire where the dragonguard were preparing for the coming battle. 

-/-/-/-

The pair soared through the air in hot pursuit of the dragon. “Callum, what are you doing!?” Claudia was glad that Callum saved her, but flying after the dragon was the last thing she wanted to do right now. She could order him back, but she also knew that Callum wouldn’t fly after the dragon if he didn’t have a plan.

“If we take out the elf on his back, the king won’t be able to fly in the storm. He won’t be able to dodge our blasts! Can you see the elf?” 

Claudia turned her head. She was hanging from Callum’s neck. It was an odd position to be in, and her hands were hurting from trying to hang on. But as she looked, she did spot a tiny figure on the back of the gargantuan dragon. “I see him! What do I need to do?” She had no choice but to do it Callum’s way right now. _I just hope he knows what he’s doing…_

“The dragon is going to turn and we’re going to pass them by. Use your tentacle spell to grab the elf off the dragon’s back!” Callum strained to stay on course. He was unaffected by the storm, but Claudia dangling from his neck made it difficult to maneuver. 

The dragon turned and came back, ready to blast the mages once more. Callum noticed that the intervals between the attacks were getting longer. _Using his breath weapon like that must tire him out!_ The dragon was getting closer and closer. As it noticed them, it roared and twisted, holding out a claw to hold them. Callum maneuvered out of his way, trying to fly over the dragon’s back, both to avoid the claws and to get close to Ibis. As they neared the dragon’s head, Callum spotted Ibis sitting on his back. He was mouthing an incantation, focussing on some kind of spell.

“Claudia, now!” 

With one arm around Callum’s neck, she held out the other towards the elf. In her hand, she held a tiny piece of tentacle. “Nwod meht gard, psarg gnihtirw!” The tentacle appeared and flew downwards. As they passed over Ibis, the tentacle wrapped around the skymage and he was pulled from the dragon king’s back. 

“I got him!” Claudia shouted excitedly as she reeled the elf in. 

The elf shot her an angry look and started to incant a spell. “Manus Pluma Volantus!” Much to Claudia’s astonishment, the elf grew wings as well. They tore through her tentacle spell. The elf flapped its wings and flew up to them. “Callum! How could you! How could you betray us!” Ibis was now face to face with Callum, though he kept a bit of a distance as he didn’t recognize the female that was clinging to Callum’s neck.

“Hey Ibis! We’re just here to kill the dragon king! Nothing personal!” Callum’s voice was joval again, like what he was saying was the most normal thing in the world. 

Ibis looked horrified. “Why would you do that?! Think of the war that this attack will start! Did the peace you created with the queen mean nothing to you!?” 

“Callum,” Claudia interjected. “Please get rid of the elf. We must get back to our group.” Her voice betrayed some of her nervousness. She had thought of casting a spell on the elf herself, but right now she was really struggling to hang on and she really did not want to fall again.

“Take me down?! Callum, you may be a mage protege, but I am a true sky arcanum master! There is no way that you can take me on one on one!” 

“That was never the point Ibis.” Callum said as he looked behind the elf. 

A roar of pain and frustration tore through the air. Ibis turned around. His eyes widened in horror. Without Ibis to protect the king from Callum’s storm spell, the dragon was unable to fly quickly through the air. The dragon struggled to fly through the storm. The mages had noticed and were now pelting him with spell after spell. 

Though without Callum the mages had no protection against the storm either, they had worked together to shield themselves from the worst of the storm, huddling close to the mountainside. Now that the dragon was flying slowly and awkwardly, they had an easy time making their spells hit their target.

“Callum, stop this!” Ibis’ panicked voice rang out. “You can’t-!” he turned around to face the human mage, but his voice caught in his throat as he recognized the rune that was hastily drawn in the air by Callum’s still flapping wings. 

“Fulmunus!”

The elf did not even cry out. As the bolt of lightning struck him, he stiffened, then fell back. His unconscious smoking body soon disappeared from view. 

“That’s amazing Callum! I didn’t know you could cast while flying!” 

Claudia sounded really impressed. “It’s not easy.” Callum replied. “I can only do it when I hover. Now, let’s get back to the group.” 

The both of them flew back and landed near the group, easily flying past the dragon who was struggling to even stay aloft. “Mistress, you’re alive!” The mages looked hopeful now that their leader had returned to them. 

“Yes, I am. How is it going?” 

“We’ve lost about half of our men.” The man looked distraught. “The dragon really did a number on us. I don’t know if the mages who fell off the mountain managed to save themselves, but,” he pointed at the dragon. “Right now all of our spells are hitting the dragon! I don’t know what you did, but we can take it down now!” 

“I took away it’s protection, that’s all.” Callum said as he dropped his wings. He found it difficult to concentrate on too many spells at once. He still had to keep the storm going. “Watch out, the dragon is trying to land!”

Sure enough, the dragon folded its wings to at least gain some forward momentum and crashed into the mountain, not too far from where the group was. It dug its claws deep into the rock to hang on as the winds battered its form, trying to dislodge it. 

“We nearly got him! Shoot him with all you’ve got!” Callum called out. The mages did as ordered and threw all kinds of spells at the creature. The dragon’s magical scales resisted some of the damage, but the onslaught of spells took its toll. It roared in pain and turned away it’s head, seemingly trying to protect itself.

“Yes, keep going!” Claudia said excitedly as she prepared her own spell. 

However, Callum noticed that a white glow appeared where the dragon had turned his head. “Watch out! Quick, cast a shield!” 

Claudia glanced at Callum, then back at the dragon who now raised his head, his mouth open, filled with the white light of another moonbeam. She hastily enchanted a different spell. “Tenebris Praesidium!” The dark shield formed just in time as the beam hit them dead on. Despite being protected from the scorching energy, they still felt the ground tremble beneath them as the energy was released. They all closed their eyes and covered their ears as the onslaught continued. 

Finally, it was over. “Should I drop the shield?” Claudia was trembling. She held her staff in front of her, unsure of what would come next. 

Callum strained to listen. The view behind the shield was muddled by the dark energy, but he didn’t see the dragon’s form. “Drop it. Be on guard, he could try a surprise attack.” 

Once the shield was dropped, the mages looker around, on guard for any attack that might follow. However the dragon king had fled. As they looked up they could see the dragon clawing its way up the mountainside.

“Wow, it’s fast!” Claudia said with a whistle. “Shall we go after it?”

He nodded. “We should. If we give him time to recover, we might be in trouble. But we must be careful. Up there, we’ll be fighting the dragonguard.” 

“Alright men! You heard Callum! Let’s go! We’ve got a dragon to slay!” The men cheered, feeling inspired by their leader despite their losses. With renewed energy they rushed up the stairs, ready to storm the halls of the Spire itself.

-/-/-/-

The guard had gathered around queen Zubeia, who was waiting at the entrance to the Spire. Zym sat on her back, protesting slightly. He wanted to fly on his own, but his mother had forbidden him. The queen looked at Bosor. “When will he give the signal?” 

Bosor kept his eyes on the storm in front of him. “If all goes well, soon.” But he wasn’t very hopeful that things were going well at all. They all heard the painful roars of the king. If not for the storm they would have rushed out, if only to take a look. But the winds were strong outside the halls. They could blow the elves right off the mountain. So they stayed, and waited.

Then they started to hear a rumbling sound coming closer. With a loud crunch, a giant dragonclaw appeared over the edge, then another and the wounded dragon king dragged himself over the edge. “My king!” Queen Zubeia moved forward, but was stopped as the king barked a command.

“Don’t! Stay there.” His breath was ragged, his giant body was covered in wounds and scorch marks. His wings were also torn, with large holes in the membrane. He had used them as shields from the largest spells. They would heal, if he survived the coming battle. 

The king limped forward, to the threshold. One of his front paws hung limp so he tried not to use it for support. “Dragonguard… prepare. It is your turn now….” He stopped in front of the queen. “Queen Zubeia, retreat to the Great Hall. The guard will wither them down, and we will make our last stand there.” 

The queen looked the king in the eyes, before retreating back in the mountain without saying another word. She wanted nothing more than to help and fight, but the burden of being queen meant that she had to survive above all else. The only figure more important was Azymondias, the dragon prince. 

The king followed her, taking slow steps with his giant paws as he crawled further inwards. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed Rayla, standing close to the walls, blades at the ready. Their eyes crossed. In that instant, the king lowered his head towards her. “Your boyfriend is going to kill us all.” he muttered, before continuing his way inwards. 

Rayla felt a stab in her chest, like a cold, crystal shard had just been pushed deep inside her heart. She swallowed and tried to maintain her composure. _I’ve got to do it. I’ve got to take him out. Or at least get him to stop the attack._ Her thoughts had been torturing her ever since the attack began. Was this really Callum who was trying to kill them? Was he mad because he chased her away? Or was he somehow bewitched by something else? She found the last one a little far fetched, but she couldn’t come up with a good explanation why Callum would suddenly turn on her. She only had one reason to work with; She chased him out, and maybe now he hated her for it!

As she watched the plateau from the shadows of the entrance, she noticed that the storm seemed to subside. Or atleast, the area around them seemed to quiet down while in the distance, the storm raged on around them. 

“They are here…” Bosor’s deep voice announced. “Get ready! Show them the honor and valour of the dragonguard!” 

“Yeah, yeah, just make sure you kill them all, right?” Orris replied dryly. “Time to see if I can best you, poor old man!” He smiled wickedly at Bosor who simply stared back at him, not deigning the comment worthy of a reply. 

“Fight well Orris. We will need your strength here.” Bosor pointed his glaive towards the bridge. On the other end, the dark mages had gathered, headed by Claudia and Callum. All in all, there seemed to be about thirty cultists left. “Fan out and be on guard! Protect yourself against-” 

“Yeaaaaaargh!” Without warning, Orris charged forward, his sunforged sword at the ready. 

“Orris, you dolt! Stay here!” Keryn called out. The other dragonguards crept forwards carefully, ready to avoid any spells thrown at them, but Orris threw caution in the wind as he charged out in the open. 

“Oh look at these elves! That one is eager!” Claudia pointed her staff at the charging elf. 

“No wonder. That’s Orris.” Callum grunted. He felt he had a score to settle with him. _It’s reckless to charge though. We will take him out no problem._ “Ready your spells!”

Claudia prepared her own staff, waiting for the right moment to blast this elf off the bridge. “Oh, Callum, you know the dragonguard, right?”

Callum nodded. “Yeah, I know most of them. Unless they’ve had new recruits in the meantime.” 

“Alright then. Be extra mean to them. Maybe it will distract them.” 

Callum grinned. “Yes Claudia, I will.” The both of them watched in anticipation as Orris got close to the chasm.

As Orris neared the bridge however, he slowed down and swung at the rope bridge. Hun sunforged sword cut through the rope and wood without issue, setting the end of the bridge on fire and making it teether precariously. It was now only attached to one point.

This startled Claudia. She had not expected him to do that. “Callum! If he cuts through the other one, the bridge will fall! We’ll be stuck here!”

Callum gritted his teeth. He had to admit that it was a smart move. He quickly drew a rune. “Aspiro!” 

The airspell hit Orris and he had to brace himself against the wind. However, Callum was all the way on the other side of the chasm. By the time the wind reached Orris, it had lost most of its power. Orris grinned and made a rude gesture to Callum as he cut through the other wooden post, separating the bridge entirely from the other side. The dark mages watched helplessly as the flaming bridge tumbled into the chasm. 

“Way to go Orris!” Keryn had come rushing towards him now. “That was actually a smart move!”

Orris was still grinning. “If they make it here, they will taste my sword. However, now, we can take them out from a distance, right?”

“Yep, we can.” Pincaelo said as she drew her bow and arrow. 

On the other side, Callum also noticed that Pincaelo had grabbed her bow. “Oh no… Shields! Quick!” 

The mages were quick to respond, but Pincaelo was quicker, and her aim was deadly. Before the first shield was erected, a mage already fell to the ground, an arrow stuck in his throat. As the other mages worked on erecting shields, she let loose arrow after arrow, most finding their mark. She managed to take out another three mages before they all managed to hide behind their magical shields. 

“Oh, those stupid elves! Don’t they know when they’re beaten!?” Claudia raged from behind the dark purple shield. 

“I don’t think they feel beaten just yet.” Callum replied. His mind was working the problem. _Okay, we need to get to the other side, but how? They can’t fly, and we don’t have any fly spells._ He thought for a bit. He was then reminded of his lessons from the air temple and the various uses of Aspiro. _But… I can MAKE them fly!_ He turned to Claudia. “Claudia, do you still have those reigar feathers with you?” 

“Euh, sure, but what for?”

Callum grinned. “I’ve got an idea.”

Pincealo was still aiming with her bow and arrow but the mages had all huddled behind the shields. The bodies of the four that didn’t make it in time were strewn around on the small platform on the other side of the chasm. “They’re not moving. At least, not from behind the shields.” She didn’t take her eyes off them though. 

“Stay alert.” Bosor droned. The moonshadow twins had equipped throwing daggers and were standing a bit closer to the edge now. Icra had flown up, also using a bow and arrow as was custom with most skywing elves. She wasn’t as good as Pincaelo though. Gaia and Kiyara covered the rear, making sure that none could sneak inside. Orris just stood where the bridge once was, looking smug. 

“Why aren’t they attacking?” Catlyn asked no one in particular. “They have spells. Most of us don’t. Why aren’t they using anything?”

“Because they don’t want us to run back inside, where they will be forced to fight in close quarters.” Bosor answered, surveying the situation. “If they can get to the other side and fight us here, out in the open, then they have the advantage.”

Catlyn and Keryn looked at each other, then back at Bosor. “So why don’t we get back inside!?” 

“Because we cannot guarantee that the dragon prince won’t be hurt in the fighting. At the same time we must do all we can to give the king enough time to recover to join the fight later. With our archers we can keep the group pinned at the other side. They are too afraid of our arrows to drop their shields right now, so they won’t. But because of their shields, they can’t cast anything at us either.” He sighed. “It’s a perilous situation, but right now, we have the upperhand, until something changes the status-quo.” 

As Bosor said that, he eyed the purple shield on the other side warily. Something changed. A dark shadow was spreading behind the shields, until it completely enveloped the group in it’s darkness. “What’s this!?” 

Pincaelo let loose an arrow and nocked another one, but the arrow flew into the darkness without a sound. She didn’t think she hit anyone. “What should we do Bosor?” 

“Stand fast…” Bosor quickly drew a rune and pushed one of his hands in the soil, muttering an incantation. It would give him control of the ground around him. All the while, the darkness on the other side of the chasm was spreading. It would reach the other side soon. 

“You stupid mages! Come here and fight like a warrior!” Orris shouted to the other side! 

But there was no answer as the darkness enveloped the elves. Rayla watched as the darkness spread further in her direction. The elves all quieted down now, trying to discern what was happening by listening. Then she heard a voice. Rayla’s heard skipped a beat as she heard Callum in the distance. “Aspiro!” 

There was the sound of rushing wind, but no actual wind blew in her direction. The dragonguard didn’t feel anything either, though they did hear thuds of something falling nearby. Within a few moments, Callum’s voice called out again. “Aspiro!” Again, there was the rushing of wind, but no one really felt any strong wind. After a moment however, they heard several small thuds again. 

Suddenly the darkness faded, much quicker than it came. To the left and the right of the elves stood the dark mages, some still getting up after having been jettisoned over the chasm by the aspiro spell. The two sides stared at each other for a second. Then chaos ensued.

Pincaelo took out a dark mage with her bow and aimed for another one before a tentacle came out of nowhere and grabbed her, trying to pin her down. A fireball was thrown at the dragonguards, but Bosor managed to erect an earthen wall in front of it, deflecting the blast. Icra tried to get a few shots in with her bow, but she had a difficult time as she tried to dodge spell after spell. Catlyn and Keryn used their dexterity to close in on the mages and took down one after the other, causing panic along the left side. Kiyara guarded Gaia near the entrance, but they were ignored for the time being, much to her frustration. 

Orris roared and activated his flame form. With this added strength, he rushed towards the right and started swinging his sword, taking down two more mages and making a beeline for Claudia.

“Callum, we need you here!” Claudia screamed as she used a bunch of feathers to create illusions of herself, scattering them around the battlefield.

Orris spat as he swung at a Claudia, running her through. “Your magic tricks won’t work on me, you filth!” He rushed at his targets. Each Claudia he struck evaporated into a puff of dark smoke. 

Callum was the only one still remaining on the cliff. He activated his mage wings and flew up high. He saw that Orris was killing Claudia’s left and right. “Claudia!” He prepared to dive, but the wind was knocked out of him as he felt a piercing pain in his back. Struggling to stay aloft, he turned to see Icra trying to take aim again. She was still flying and was still trying to dodge the spells that were fired at her from down below. 

_This is bad!_ Callum thought. He could rush downwards, but he would get another arrow for his troubles. He had to take this elf out first! He pushed himself forwards with his wings just as Icra released her arrow. It hit him in the shoulder, knocking him off course slightly. Struggling with the pain, he released his concentration on the mage wing spell so that he could still focus on the storm spell. As he fell, he managed to grab Icra’s ankle with one last bit of effort. 

Icra lurged downward before she adjusted herself to the new weight. She looked in disgust at the corrupted human dangling from her foot. “Time to die mage!” She spat as she nocked another arrow on her bow. 

The human grinned at her, despite bleeding from two arrow wounds. “Indeed. Enim si efil rouy!” Icra shrieked as black tendrils shot from the man's hand. They crawled up along her legs, across her torso, over her mouth. She screamed from the pain and stiffened, before falling downwards, taking the human along with her. “Delaeh eb sdnuow ym tel!” As Callum hit the ground, he used the stolen energy to heal himself. He felt the arrows pop out of him and the wounds close around them. Icra lay next to him, whimpering in pain. “Oh, don’t worry. The pain will stop soon.” 

He stretched out a hand to steal the last of her energy, just as Claudia called out. “Callum!” He whipped his head to the sound and saw that Orris had finally cornered the real Claudia into a corner. She tried to defend herself using a shield, but his sunforged blade tore right through it,

“Claudia, no!” Forgetting about Icra, he charged towards Orris and blasted him aside with a bolt of fire. Orris stumbled, but still stood and grinned at him.

“Fire? I was _made_ in fire!” He ducked as Callum took a stance in front of Claudia and blasted another bolt of energy at him. “Time for our rematch, you human scum!”

“Claudia, run.” Callum didn’t take his eyes off Orris, but he wanted to fight without having to worry about his mistress. 

“Callum! Are...are you sure?” She held her staff at the ready, but was genuinely scared of the sunfire elf. She had tried some spells to slow him down, including her tentacle spell, but his sunforged blade had just cut right through it!

“I am sure. Help the others.” Callum prepared himself. Strangely enough, he found that he looked forward to facing off with this elf again. Orris was grinning wickedly at him. He probably felt the same.

“A-alright!” Claudia gave her companion one last look before rushing away from them. Her followers were having a hard time taking down the dragonguard. As much as she wanted to fight with Callum, she figured she would only get in the way right now. This frustrated her immensely. As she tried to assist the other mages, from the corner of her eye she spotted a moonshadow elf with short, silver hair rush in her direction.

Keryn let out a battlecry as he jumped in the air, brandishing his sword and dagger. “Yeaaargh!” 

Claudia acted quickly. Hesitating now would mean that this elf would plunge his sword right into her! Channeling her frustration in her spell, she aimed the sunstone staff at the moonshadow elf. “Solis Ignis!” A beam of darkened fire shot out from the staff and punched through the elf. 

Keryn let out a strangled cry as he fell backwards. With a thud he landed on the ground and groaned weakly. There was a sizable hole in his stomach with black smoke coming out of it. 

“Keryn! No!” 

Claudia turned her head and saw another moonshadow elf break off her fight with a mage and rush towards the elf on the ground. Figuring that another attack was incoming, she cast the shield spell in front of her so she could catch a breather. 

Catlyn slid to a stop next to her brother. She kept one eye on the mage, but since she was casting a shield, she hoped that she could have a moment to check on her brother. But as she looked at him, she knew immediately that he was beyond saving. His skin was pale, and the hole in his body was large and deep. He smiled weakly at her. 

“Guess… I’m…. the first to go.” He muttered weakly at her. 

Swallowing, Catlyn crouched down beside her brother and grabbed his hand. She wanted to say something. That it would be alright, that he could live if he just didn’t give up. But she was too old to believe in such fairy tales. She had seen too much. All she could do was ease his passing. “You were always the better one, you know? You were always so quick to jump into the fray, to snatch a victory.”

This made Keryn smile, despite the pain. “Get them..for...me.” 

Claudia was confused when no attack came. _I just killed one of them! Doesn’t she want to get back at me?_ After a moment, she dropped her shield, readying her staff so that she could quickly respond to an attack. As the shield disappeared, she saw that the elf was sitting on the ground, next to the corpse. _She must have cared for that person. Let’s see if I can use this…_ “Aw, did I kill your lover? How sad!” Claudia used a sing-song voice to sound extra teasing, trying to provoke her opponent. 

A dark look came across Catlyn’s face. “I. Will. KILL YOU!” With a feral growl she leaped to her feet and rushed towards her enemy.

“You will try.” Claudia muttered as she cast her next spell, now well prepared for the rushing elf. 

In the meantime, Callum was facing off against Orris. The dragonguard seemed to be testing the waters and had been driving Callum away from the others, closer to the entrance of the Spire. Callum had been replying with spells that should have disarmed Orris, but somehow his sunforged blade was quite resistant to most of his attempts. It seemed like the enchantment used to give the sunforged blade it’s cutting edge also protected it from other magic. 

“Aspiro!” Callum blew with all his might, trying to gain some distance between Orris and himself. Much to his surprise, Orris plunged his blade into the ground and hung on, not giving an inch. 

Orris responded to his surprised look. “Bosor taught me some tricks while you were away.” 

Callum didn’t waste his time at a retort. “Fulmunus!” The bolt sped in Orris’ direction. Orris responded by throwing his blade in the air in front of him. The bolt hit the blade spot on and absorbed the blast, keeping Orris safe from most of the impact. 

“You’ll have to do better than that, human boy.” He caught the sword out of the air and advanced. He shrugged off some of the remaining sparks from the spell.

Callum felt himself being pressed into a corner. He knew that Orris’ sword could cut through anything, and could absorb a lot. _But how will it do against dark magic?_ he thought. _Well, time to use my new spell again._ Callum grinned, his grey skin cracking along his lips. “Enim si ygrene ruoy!”

Black tendrils of dark magic shot out towards Orris. He took a step back and slashed at them, but the blade simply passed through the ethereal tendrils. As the tendrils wrapped around his body, he felt his energy being drained. Pain seared through his body. “Aaugh! Damn...you...dark mage!” 

Callum grinned as he drained the life of Orris, glad to have found a spell that could pass his defence, but also because he bested the elfe this time. “These are my new tricks Orris. A shame that Claudia wants me to kill you all quickly. Otherwise I’d-” 

He stopped when he felt two cold, very sharp blades pressed against his throat. A figure had pressed itself against him from the back and a very familiar feminine voice spoke to him. “Callum… stop this. A dunna want ta kill ya.”

Callum said nothing. When he didn’t let up the spell on Orris, the blades pressed inwards a little, drawing blood. He gritted his teeth. Slowly, he let the spell on Orris fade, lowering his hand. Orris lay on the ground, groaning. 

“Gud. Now, turn around. Slowly.” 

He felt the presence behind him take a step back, though he felt the swords prick in the back of his neck. Being at a disadvantage as he could not see his opponent, he turned around to face her. 

Rayla gasped as she saw Callum standing there. His hair had grey streaks through them and looked mostly dead. His skin was ashen grey and cracked and his eyes were jet black. The tattoos on his chest were still glowing softly with a sickly blue aura, which made him look even more ghastly. “No, Callum, what have they done to ya?”

“Done to me? _I_ did this Rayla. I learned new magic! Dark magic! I bet I’m now one of the most powerful mages in the whole world! Well, besides Claudia of course…” 

Rayla was horrified. Callum didn’t look apologetic in the least. She barely recognized him. “Callum, wha’ happened!? Why are ye attacking da Storm Spire? A...A dunna understand!”

The dark mage opened and closed his hand. He still felt the energy he stole from Orris coarse through his body. _I must use it quickly._ “Well, I suppose I owe you an answer. I’m with Claudia now. She really opened my eyes to the possibilities of dark magic.” He grinned wickedly. “Besides, it felt like you were done with me anyway.” 

Ice cold daggers plunge into Rayla’s heart. Wounds she had been working to close reopened once again as her worst fears came to life. “Callum...no, no, A dinna mean it like that!”

“Well, that’s a shame.” His hand erupted into dark, blue flames. “It’s a little too late for that though. Semalf Snogard krad!” 

Rayla had but a split second to dive out of the way as a stream of dark flames surged towards her. She felt her ankles being scorched. Her quick thinking saved her from further damage, but as she hit the ground, she was very thankful that her feet were protected by strong, sturdy boots. Second came the realisation that Callum had actually tried to kill her. She stood up, first looking at him with disbelief before a grim expression took its place. She swung her swords demonstratively. “Callum, if ya don’t give up...A’ll have to put ye down. A’ll have ta kill ya, ya hear!?” She screamed at him, pushing back tears as they would blur her vision.

Callum shook his head. “Tsk tsk tsk. Rayla, you have never killed anyone, not even Viren. You yourself told me how you felt about that.” He watched her swords, but nevertheless took a few paces in her direction. 

“C-Callum… Don’t push it! A-A’ll….” She hesitated. _I can kill him now! But, I can’t...I don’t want … please…_ “Callum! Please, stop! Ya mean too much to me!” She shuffled backwards, holding her swords raised protectively in front of her as to strike, but even so he still came closer.

“You won’t kill me Rayla. Because you’re not a killer, and because you love me.” 

Rayla gulped. He was almost on her now. She half-raised her swords in defence, but as Callum reached her, he simply pushed them down with his hands. “C-Callum… A do… A do love you. A-and, A dunno what happened to ye, but A want ye back…” The tears came unbidden now, and in her blurred eyes she could almost see the Callum that she loved. Almost.

But as she wiped away the tears with the back of her hand, she saw his corrupted face smiling at her, the black eyes staring into her soul. She cringed back as he put his hand against her cheek. She looked him in the eyes, unsure of his intent. 

“I’ll remember you, Rayla.” He said. “I’ll remember you as the single biggest failure the dragonguard has ever had.” 

Rayla’s eyes turned wide as she saw his evil smile. Time seemed to slow down as his lips moved. She didn’t hear what he said. She just looked at that horrible face that used to belong to her boyfriend. In this moment, she realized that this might very well be the last thing she ever saw. _Callum..._

“Enim si-” His hand was still on her cheek as he incanted the spell, however Rayla was suddenly pulled backwards quite forcefully. At first Callum thought that Rayla somehow found the courage to run, but she was now laying against the wall in a heap of dirt and looked about as surprised as he was. His head whipped around, looking for the source of the earth magic. He didn’t have to look very long, as the earthblood warrior came rushing towards him, his heavy metal boots pounding in the earth with each stride. 

He slammed into Callum with his shoulder, throwing him on the ground. “Rayla, grab Orris and retreat.” Bosor kept his eyes on Callum, who was now getting up. His grin had disappeared, being replaced by an ugly snarl.

Rayla stumbled, trying to get up on her feet, but her legs felt like jelly. “Bosor… I couldn’t… I tried to…” 

“I know.” Bosor said gently. “I’ll take it from here.” He purposely stepped forward and swung his glaive in a distinct pattern, leaving the traces of runes in the air. “Spices Terrae!” Spikes of rock protruded from the ground, jetting up a few feet before retracting again. The pattern of spikes rushed towards Callum who tried his best to jump out of the way as spikes erupted all around him. He managed to avoid most of them, but not all, and he screamed and cursed as a spike tore open his leg, while another one hit the underside of his arm.

Rayla tried not to look as her former lover was pierced by the spikes. She rushed towards Orris’ side and pulled him up on her shoulders. “Come on, let’s get ye somewhere safe!” Orris said nothing, but groaned as he was dragged out of the way.

In the meantime, Callum tried to regain his footing, but Bosor’s spikes were keeping him off balance, sometimes wounding him as well. “Will you- Auch! Will you stop that!?” Callum quickly drew a rune, ignoring a spike that graced his foot. “Fulmunus!” 

Bosor stopped casting his earthen spike spell and plunged his glaive into the ground as he recognized the rune. The bolt of lightning hit the pole which absorbed the spell. Once the spell was done, he grabbed his glaive, pulled it from the ground and advanced on Callum. “Tell me, human, what made you finally turn on us?” He swung at Callum’s neck, but missed as Callum stumbled backwards.

“Claudia wants to complete a powerful spell. We need the heart of a dragon to do it. Erif of llab!” He quickly shot a small ball of flames in Bosor’s direction, but he swatted it out of the air with his armoured gloves. 

“The other dark mage…” Bosor glanced in Claudia’s direction. Catlyn was slashing away at Claudia, who was trying to keep her at bay with her own dark magic spells. It looked like it was an even battle for now. “But why did you join her?” Bosor pressed while still trying to pin down Callum with his glaive. “Why did you abandon Rayla?”

“Why do you care? You never approved of me and Rayla anyway! Aspiro!” The windspell pushed Bosor back a few feet.

Bosor was impressed. Callum’s aspiro spell was definitely stronger than Ibis’. _He’s grown to be a powerful mage indeed. But what has corrupted him so much?_ He strained to step forward against the spell. “Because despite your heritage, you were a decent person. You saved the dragon prince. You treated Rayla with love and respect!” He swung hard at Callum, slashing him across his chest. 

Callum hissed. It was a shallow wound, but it hurt like hell. Bosor was still shouting at him.

“What changed, young human! Tell me what changed you into this!?” 

All the talking confused Callum. He knew what he had to do; take out the dragonguard and get inside the spire so that he could kill the dragons and get the heart. But the questions that Bosor was asking made him think, and though he tried his best to reason his way through his thoughts, he found it hard to come up with a proper answer. “Because...because Claudia wants me to.” he stammered, unsure of why he said it. 

Bosor blinked, now realising what was going on. _He’s charmed!_ With surprising speed for his size, Bosor swung the glaive and brought it down next to Callum, purposely missing him. Callum jumped out of the way nonetheless. Bosor had expected this and dropped his glaive. He closed in on Callum, punching him in the face, then grabbed the stunned young man by his wrists. “Fight it Callum! You never wanted to fight our kind! Fight this corruption inside of you!”

Callum’s head rang from the impact. His mind was spinning. A tiny voice inside of him was shouting that he should listen to this elf. It screamed to stop this madness. However, that voice was drowned out by the charm spell that was cast on him. It compelled him to obey Claudia at all cost. _She told me the elves are the enemy… so I should kill them all!_

With renewed vigor he struggled against Bosor’s grasp. “I will listen to Claudia!” Callum’s voice was strained. He tried to push back against the warrior elf, but he was much stronger than him. _Time to go all out._ He couldn’t grab any ingrediënts or draw runes like this, but there was one spell he could do by just using words. “Enim si efil rouy…” The black tendrils flowed from Callums hands and latched onto Bosor’s. 

The earthblood elf grunted as he felt his energy leave his body. _It is a shame, but I have to end him quickly!_ Realizing now that this spell was not easily broken, he let go of the mage with one hand and punched him in the face. 

The punch made it hard to focus, but Callum also felt that the punch was weaker than before. _I need just a bit more power to cast another spell!_ He noticed that Bosor was now reaching for his glaive. Trying to prevent that, Callum grabbed his arm and tried to shove him in the opposite direction. 

Bosor and Callum struggled like this. Bosor kept pushing and punching Callum while trying to either shrug him off or get to his weapon, all the while enveloped by the black smokey tendrils that drained him off his life force. Though it lasted moments, Callum noted that it took Bosor far longer to succumb to the spell than any other elf so far. _He’s strong… or maybe his armor’s enchanted. Either way, I have enough energy now to end this._

Callum released Bosor’s arm. Bosor immediately used the opening to punch him square in the jaw. The punch left a mark as blood trickled down Callum’s chin. Still, he was smiling. 

“Goodbye, Bosor. Yaced dna hsa!” Callum placed his palm on Bosor’s stomach, protected by the bronze colloured armour. The armour crumbled away almost immediately, turning to a rusty color and falling away in broken pieces. 

Bosor fell forward and clutched his stomach as the skin turned to white, then grey, before disintegrating into ash. The effect slowly spread along his stomach. He heaved as he felt his insides fall apart. He stared up at Callum, who was staring him down, still grinning. 

“Should I end your suffering?”? He pretended to think about it. But the spell would kill him anyway. _I’d better help Claudia and the other mages._ He looked around. The other mages were pushing back the few remaining elves into the spire, but they were careful. The battlefield was strewn around with dead mages. _We need to do a headcount soon. But let’s end this battle first!_ He moved to Claudia’s side, who was being assaulted by a stubborn elf who despite all kinds of injuries would not give up. 

“You. Will. DIE!” The elf screamed as she launched herself at Claudia again. Claudia was breathing heavily, quite out of breath and having difficulty to incant the spells she needed to defend herself. 

“Sdnah gnipsarg!” Callum stretched out his hand, and a large, black, smokey hand appeared in the air. He grasped Catlyn and pulled her away from Claudia. 

“Callum! You scunner! I’ll slit your throat for this! I’ll-” 

With the flip of a wrist, Callum pushed his hand downwards quickly. The smokey hand followed his movement and crushed Catlyn to the ground. She struggled to get up, but the black hand was unrelenting. Satisfied that the elf was stuck, Callum turned to his mistress. “Are you alright Claudia?” 

“Pfff...hold on….that...that elf ...doesn know when to quit!” She leaned on her staff. So far, she had no injuries but she looked a bit shaken. She gave Callum an apologetic look. “You know, with the last battle I was just lobbing spells from the back. Being in the front rank really is something!” 

Callum was about to comment that that was exactly what a mage should do when he noticed the elves were gathering near the entrance of the Spire. Rayla slipped away from the group, rushing back to Bosor. Callum focussed and drew a rune, ready to fry her, when he also noticed that Pincaelo was aiming her bow in their direction. His eyes widened as Pincaelo released an arrow. There was no time to warn Claudia. Instead, he aimed at her with his hand and shouted. “Yawa!” 

Claudia flew backwards just before the arrow passed them. Had Callum not cast the spell, she would have been hit. Casting a spell had another effect however; it used up all the energy he stole from Bosor. The smokey hand holding down Catlyn disappeared. As she got up, their eyes crossed. She looked like she was about to attack, but then thought the better of it and fled back to the entrance. “Not so fast Catlyn.” Callum stretched out his hand, preparing to cast another life drain spell when another arrow sped by, this one hitting him in the shoulder. “Aurgh!” 

Claudia had landed on the edge of the cliff, but fortunately wasn’t flung over. As she looked up, she saw Callum getting hit. Panicking, she called out to the mages. “Protect Callum!” Several cultists stopped throwing spells at the elves and rushed towards Callum and erected a shield around him. Arrows flew in their direction, but miraculously, they managed to get up the shield in time before anyone was seriously injured. Claudia let out a sigh of relief. _At least he’s safe for now._

Meanwhile, Rayla had managed to reach Bosor. She looked over her shoulder. The mages seemed to be busy protecting Callum or attacking the entrance. She looked down at Bosor and grabbed his arm, preparing to drag him back. His painful moan stopped her in her tracks. 

“Don’t bother…” he whispered hoarsely. He looked like he was about to say more, but then he coughed violently, each cough rocketing his body with pain. 

Rayla knelt down next to her captain. _No, this can’t be happening!_ “Bosor, you’ll be fine, come on! You’ll be…” She trailed off as she saw the enormous hole in his stomach. Everything inside the hole had turned to ash, which the wind was blowing away. She swallowed. There was no way he could survive this. 

Suddenly, with the last bit of his strength, Bosor grasped Rayla by her vest and pulled her close. He whispered into her ear. “Not...his fault…” 

“W-what do you mean?” Rayla stared at him, shaken. 

But Bosor pushed weakly against her, as if to push her away, before his arm fell limp to his side. He took another breath, then another, and then he was silent, forever. 

“No, Bosor, no!” She bit back tears and felt the rage and sorrow overwhelm her. She looked back in Callum’s direction. He was surrounded by mages now, who were tending to his wounds and protecting him from Pincaelo’s arrows. It looked like they were almost done though. They would attack again soon. If she would stay out here in the open, they would pick her off in no time. 

Having made a decision, she leapt to her feet and rushed back towards the entrance. Some dark mages spotted her rushing by and lobbed spells at her. A shadowy spell she didn’t recognize hit her and she felt a burning sensation in her leg as it froze up in a cramp. She stumbled, but remaining in this spot was a death sentence, so she crawled on. 

Catlyn noticed her plight and quickly rushed out to grab her and drag her to safety. Rayla was surprised when she saw that Catlyn’s eyes were full of tears as well. “Come on.” she said. “We need to get inside!” 

Rayla nodded. Ignoring her cramped leg, she limped along until they were safely hidden within the entrance. She looked around. Orris was still on the ground, unconscious. She saw Gaia, Pincaelo, and Catlyn… and that was it. “Where...where are the others?” 

A painful look crossed Catlyn’s face. “My brother fell… I think I saw Icra fall from the sky as well…” Catlyn looked around herself. “What about Bosor?”

Rayla looked to the ground and shook her head. “He didn’t make it… Callum killed him…” 

Catlyn wanted to curse and scream, but she saw the hurt in Rayla’s face, the pain of ultimate betrayal. So she bottled up those feelings and gave Rayla a quick hug. “It’s going to be alright.” 

“But how? What are we going to do?” 

To this, Catlyn had no answer. Suddenly Kiyara called out to the group. “They are going to attack! Retreat!” 

Claudia and Callum had gathered the rest of the mages with them. Most of them looked ragged. Of their initial group of fifty, only thirteen mages were left. Though the mages had used their dark magic to the best of their ability, they had never faced real combat like this. Claudia began to have her doubts about this expedition.

“We’ve lost so many! Do you think we should continue? We could just teleport out of here, you know!” 

Callum looked at the group, then whispered. “If you want to, we could do that. But we can only take a couple with us, not everyone. And…” He looked at the entrance, where the last of the dragonguard had gathered. “We have taken out their most powerful members. The dragon king is seriously injured. The only one we need to worry about is the dragon queen, but if one of us holds her in place, then the other can drain her energy.”

Claudia smiled a little. “Thanks Callum. This is exactly why I need you!” She hugged him and pressed her lips against his. 

“Anything for you Claudia.” he whispered after he kissed her. 

As the dragonguard evacuated their position near the entrance, Rayla took one last look outside. She saw Callum standing there amidst the other dark mages, kissing Claudia. The sight of this shattered what remained of her broken heart into little pieces. Sobbing quietly, she helped Gaia carry Orris into the great hall where the dragons are, so that they could make their last stand. 

-/-/-/-

Without the sounds of battle, the Storm Spire remained relatively quiet for the time being. The small sounds of the coughs and groans of the wounded were drowned out by the storm still raging on. The mages had moved into the front hall and were resting there, using the various benches and pillars for cover, ready to cast spells on any elves who would try to venture outside of the great hall where the dragons resided.

Chances of that happening were slim though. The elves had sealed up the entrance with benches, tables and whatever furniture they could find, hoping to delay the inevitable. 

During this rest, one cultist detached from the group and snuck into the dark halls, hopefully leading to the bedrooms of the guard. The cultist was disgruntled; the attack was succeeding, but barely. Callum had warned them about how powerful the dragonguard was, but none of them could have guessed that they were that difficult to take down. And the dragon had wiped out half of their forces on the journey to the top! Not even Callum or Claudia had counted on that happening. That was the whole reason Callum had created the storm! To prevent the king from joining the fight!

Still, the dark mage had to admit that they have gotten far. They were so close now to killing the king and queen. Only a little further to go. But that was a task for his leaders and comrades, because he had a different task to accomplish right now. The mistress had asked him to find Callum’s belongings. They were supposed to be somewhere in these rooms. So, he carefully snuck from room to room, hoping to find the book and the bag described to them.

The cultist spent some time searching each room, but after having tried the first three rooms, he still hadn’t found the items he was looking for. Frustrated, the cultist continued his search when he heard an explosion coming from the hallway. He groaned. The fighting had resumed without him! He had to hurry. 

He nervously opened the fourth door. This room looked like the rest; the same beds built into the wall, with a desk on one end of the room, and a mirror on the other end. However, the chair next to the desk had something hanging from it. _Yes! That must be it!_

He ran up to it and grabbed the satchel, ready to get out of here and join his brothers. Unfortunately, he failed to notice that the book in the satchel had a leather band attached to it that was still looped onto the chair. This caused it to topple the chair and pull open the bag, spilling its contents on the floor. The cultist froze. Did anyone hear him? But aside from the distant sounds of battle, he didn’t hear anything. There were no elves coming to kill him here.

He breathed a sigh of relief and crouched down to gather the items, stuffing them in the satchel. The book first. It was specifically mentioned by Callum after all. There were some clothes, and some rations. Some scrolls with draconic runes on them, probably from his study at the Aero Temple. And an odd looking cube with arcanum signs on each of its sides. He picked it up and looked at it. _Curious, it looks like a childs toy…_ He shrugged and put it back in the satchel.

Satisfied that he had everything now, he stood up, quickly checking one last time that he hadn’t forgotten something. The floor was empty, but he spotted something lying on the table. It was a sealed letter bearing the seal of the dragon guard. _Must be important,_ thought the cultist as he grabbed it and stuffed it in the satchel. 

Having completed his mission, the cultist rushed out of the room, ready to join his brothers in the fight. 

-/-/-/-

“How’s Orris?” Rayla asked as Gaia finished taking care of the unconscious elf. 

Gaia shrugged and smiled sadly, the large motherly elf trying ever to be optimistic. “If we get through this, he’ll get through this. He has been drained of all his energy, but he has enough that he’ll recover in time.” Her face was stern now. “We must make sure we give him that time.” 

Rayla nodded. Looking around, the remaining dragonguards were steeling themselves for their final stand. In the back stood queen Zubeia, her right wing spread protectively over king Aureum Umbra, who’s breathing was laboured. And all the way in the back was little Zym, his mother’s tail curled protectively around him. 

The minutes passed, and Rayla spent her time pacing aimlessly in the great hall, a million thoughts going through her head. The horrific visage of Callum’s corrupted face, of him and Claudia kissing on the battlefield. But also Bosor’s last words. _It’s not his fault…_ She gripped her swords angrily, thinking of the elves they had already lost today, two of which Callum had personally taken down. _How is this not his fault!?_

She called all the anger and fury she could muster to her mind and channeled it. “A will take you down Callum, and that _ghalla_ of yours is next…” 

An explosion sounded, rattling the barricade and dislodging some of the benches. Orange flames spilled into the room. The guard rushed to their positions, and Zubeia charged up her breath weapon. “Steal yourself, dragon guard. They are coming.”

-/-/-/-

“Are you ready?”

Claudia nodded. She felt the adrenaline of battle still rush through her system. They had to finish this, and quickly too. “Yes, let’s go. How do you want to break through the barrier?” 

Calum smiled. “Give me the last of those feathers.” 

Without question, Claudia obliged. She knew that Callum would do his utmost best to make her mission succeed. She handed him the last three reignar feathers that she had kept in reserve in case of an emergency. As she did, she grabbed onto him and kissed him hard. Her heart fluttered as he kissed her back, and she promised herself that she would make him love her without the spell. _After the fight._ she told herself. _After this is over._ “Get them for me Callum.”

He grinned and nodded. “Stand back.” Claudia and the remaining dark mages did so as Callum held out one feather and focussed on it. It turned to ash, and in his hand appeared a fireball. He pulled his arm back, and threw it straight at the barricade where it exploded with a deafening bang. The flames spilled outwards, but though damaged, the barricade was still there. Callum pulled back again and used the second feather, conjuring another fireball. He threw it and the explosion completely cleared the doorway of any remaining debris. 

The mages stepped forward to charge the opening, but Callum held out his hand. “Wait. I’ve got this…” 

Inside the great hall, the dragon guard took cover from the explosion The debris was flung in all directions, leaving the entrance now open. But no dark mages came. Confused, some of the dragonguard edged closer to the entrance. Queen Zubeia lowered her head to get a better look, ready to use her dragon’s breath. Exactly at that moment, Callum’s third and final fireball flew straight into the great hall, exploding right in the middle of the great hall. 

The explosion flung Catlyn and Rayla against the wall. Queen Zubeia roared as the flames covered her face, temporarily blinding her. Now the dark mages came in, screaming and shouting, casting spells mainly targeting the queen to bring her down. 

Rayla got up and brandished her swords. She looked around, using a few precious seconds to take stock of the situation. Catlyn was trying to get close to the cultists, but she had a hard time doing that on her own as the cultists all stood grouped together, protecting each other. Pincaelo was firing arrows from a corner, but was unable to penetrate their shields. They were prepared for her. The dragon king breathed hard, like he was trying to use his breath weapon, but he was too wounded to do so. 

Then, unexpectedly, Gaia stood up and rushed towards the cultists. “Don’t harm the queen, damn you!” With her arms stretched, she tried to block the spells. The elf was huge, even taller than Bosor had been. Despite being hit by fire and ice, she rushed towards the dark mages, trying to block their view of the queen shaking her head behind her. 

“You want to die elf? I’ll grant you your wish!” Claudia took her staff in both of her hands and aimed the sunstone directly at the elf. “Turbine Ignis!” Flames erupted from her staff and shot towards Gaia, consuming her utterly. When the flames died down, the only thing that remained was a small pile of ash.

“Why would she do that? Why would she rush towards our spells like that?” Claudia muttered. She looked at Callum, looking for an explanation, but Callum had a worried look on his face as he kept his eyes on the dragon. “It was a distraction. Scatter!” 

When the pelting of dark spells had stopped, the queen finally got her bearings and had charged her breath weapon. She was furious and would do anything to protect her home and her child. She inhaled, then shot lightning at the group of mages which exploded in the centre of them. Even though they tried to get away, the queen’s lightning passed through them mercilessly. Some did not even get the chance to scream before their smoking forms dropped to the ground. 

The tide had turned. The queen pounced at the cultists, ripping in them with tooth and claw. With their shields gone, Pincaelo shot arrow after arrow into them, dwindling their numbers. “This is it…” Rayla thought as she rushed in, her swords changed to hooks. She hopped from cultist to cultist, sweeping them off their feet, knocking them out. Even little Zym was helping as he sent zaps of lightning into the fray.

“This is bad…” muttered Callum as he cast spells to protect himself from Catlyn’s swords and Pincaelo’s arrows. 

“Callum, do something!” Claudia was trying to hold her own against the dragon, using shield spells to block her claws, but her shield was shattering under the enormous strength of the dragon. 

Callum stood, looking at the pandemonium in the great hall. He frowned, sweating nervously. _Looks like our mages are mostly taken out… it’s just me and Claudia now…_ He looked around and saw Catlyn and Rayla rushing in his direction. “Claudia, hang on to something.” 

“ Wait, what!?” 

Rayla had almost reached Callum. She still didn’t know if she could kill him, but Catlyn was with her. _If I can’t take him out, she will. It...it must happen. He must be stopped!_ She ignored the pain and her heart screaming at her. All she wanted now was for all of this to be over. She kept on running, being just a few feet from Callum now. He was incanting a spell, and her eyes widened as she realised she had heard it being cast before. 

“Pu og, nwod semoc hcihw taht!” 

The world seemed to twist and turn. Rayla was almost upon Callum when she suddenly felt herself being pulled upward. She screamed involuntarily as the ground became the ceiling, and she plummeted to the stalactite covered roof of the great hall. As she fell, she saw that everyone in the great hall was affected. The bodies of unconscious or dead cultists went flying. Even the gargantuan dragons stumbled into each other as they fell to the roof, trying in vain to right themselves so they could use their wings. 

With a loud thud Rayla hit the roof, knocking the wind out of her. She grabbed onto a stalactite, trying to steady herself. As she looked around, it looked like Catlyn and Pincaelo were dazed by the fall. She looked up towards Callum who now looked to be very far away. But he was definitely looking right at them, which sent an icy shiver down her spine. 

Callum walked over to where Claudia was hanging on to a piece of rock on the ground. “Callum, I can’t hold on for long!” 

“Don’t worry, I’m going to let them fall again. That will take out the last of the dragonguard. Once I do, charge up your spell to kill the queen. I will cast a net spell to keep the dragons in place.” He smiled at her. “We’re winning. We’ll have the final ingrediënt for the heart of a dragon.” 

Claudia smiled back, though she was still hanging on for dear life. “Alright, just hurry! I’m starting to slip!”

Rayla saw the two talking above her. She couldn’t make sense out of it. The distance was too great. But she could guess what came next. “Everybody hang on!” She shouted as she unsheated her swords and rammed them into a stalagtite. Suddenly, the world lurched again as gravity reverted back to normal. Both dragons plummeted hard to the ground again, knocking them senseless. She looked about to see if others of the guard had followed her example, but to her horror she saw Catlyn, Pincaelo, Orris and Kiyara all tumble and fall back to the ground. As they hit the ground, they remained motionless. Rayla couldn’t tell if they were dead, or worse… _No! Now I’m the only one left!_ She panicked. _What can I do!?_

When gravity returned, Claudia got up and watched the great dragons slam into the ground again. It looked like even they took some hefty damage from falling on those stalagmites. Three of their mages were still moving on the ground, having survived both of the falls. Claudia hoped they would be alright, but there were more pressing concerns right now. 

“Callum! Do it! Do it now!” Claudia screamed as she intoned her own spell. “Tsaeb taerg siht llik ot rewop eht em evig! Tsaeb taerg siht llik…” As she chanted, power from her staff was gathering, forming into a black orb. 

Queen Zubeia raged. “You dare use dark magic in my presence! I will-” 

She was suddenly silenced as Callum held out his hands, magic flowing from his hands in blue waves. A blue sheen appeared over the king and queen as they struggled against an unseen force. They were paralyzed. Callum was pleased. “Your dad’s spell is working Claudia! Now, kill them!” 

Claudia nodded, but didn’t interrupt her incantation. She was almost ready now. Soon it would be over. The dragons would be dead, they would have the heart, and maybe they could even absorb the power of the little dragon as well! They might have lost most of their mages, but would all have been worth it!

Rayla held on to the rock for dear life, her swords giving her a little more purchase as their sharp edges lodged themselves in the grooves. She glanced down at the chaos below her. Callum was channeling his spel on the dragons, keeping them frozen while Claudia prepared some dark spell to finish them off. The king and queen looked furious, but seemed powerless to escape the spell. 

_Damnit...damnit all!_

She looked around. All of her fellow dragonguard were down. She saw Kiyara moving, struggling to get up, but a pool of blood was quickly spreading from underneath her. She was trying to reach Catlyn, who was lying at an odd angle after the fall and hadn’t moved at all. Orris was still down, as was Pincealo, the both of them having fallen on top of one another in a corner.

_Damnit Callum!_

As she looked below, she saw Callum standing right underneath her. She couldn’t see his face, but he seemed to be looking around for more threats, trying to protect Claudia so she could finish her spell. Movement from a dark corner drew both of their attention. Rayla watched as she saw Zym half stumble, half run towards Claudia, electricity around it’s jaws, ready to zap the human who was trying to hurt its mother.

“There you are! You are eager to die, aren’t you?” Callum said in a voice that sounded way too cheerful for what was being said. He extended his hand and dark purple streams erupted from it as he intoned the spell. “Rewop rouy swollaws eh…” He started to encant.

Rayla watched in horror as Zym was soon writhing on the ground in agony, his life being sucked away by the boy she once loved. _Zym! No…._

She looked for a way to get down safely and quickly, but she was stuck to the ceiling, this rock her only handhold, it being the only reason that she hadn't fallen down like all the others. 

As she looked back down towards Callum again, she realised there was only one thing she could do. It was risky, and it would possibly kill her. _But...if Callum falls… then the dragons can protect Zym…_ She closed her eyes as she felt pain in her heart. She was now ready to do what needed to be done. “I’m sorry Callum. I love you.” 

With that, she wrenched her swords away from the stalactite and fell. She twisted in the air, swords at the ready, pointed straight at Callum’s chest. At the last second, she turned, righting her legs as she screamed in pain and fury. 

Callum looked up and looked utterly surprised as Rayla fell down from the sky, right on top of him. The swords tore straight through his chest and the impact of Rayla pushed him forcefully to the ground. 

Callum stared up towards Rayla, his black, corrupted eyes wide in surprised. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. 

“I’m sorry Callum…” Rayla sobbed. 

The glowing sigils on his chest slowly faded and his black eyes turned to normal. His arms fell limp and his head rolled sideways. Rayla knew it then; he was gone.

Time seemed to stand still for a second. The dragons stopped roaring, and Claudia gasped, stopping her incantation. Even the storm seemed to quiet down, dissipating now that it no longer was being controlled by its master. 

Claudia was the first to recover from the shock. She screamed. “Callum, no! What have you done elf!?” She rushed towards Rayla and knocked her off of Callum, trying to grab her by the throat. Rayla kicked frantically, her legs still numb from falling, but she wouldn’t give in to the mage like that. “Be still elf! I will kill you for this, you evil b-” 

They were interrupted by a loud roar. As they both turned their heads, they saw the king and queen slowly stand up, both looking furious but very much alive, no longer bound by dark magic. Even Zym struggled to get to his feet, looking angrily at Claudia. 

Claudia’s eyes widened in fear. It was likely that she only had seconds left before they had recovered from the spell and would kill her. She looked back to where the other three darkmages were standing, now looking very fearful. She called out to them. “Grab the baby dragon! I’ll grab Callum’s body! We’re teleporting now!” 

As Claudia got up and ran, Rayla tried to do the same, but her legs were hurting. _I have to stop her!_ Looking around, she saw Claudia rushing back towards Callum, but one of the cultists made a beeline for Zym. She had a split second to make a decision. Attack Claudia? Or protect Zym? She didn’t know if it was only Claudia that could teleport, or if the cultist could teleport by himself as well. Callum was already dead though, and they couldn’t lose Zym! 

With a groan she pushed herself to her feet and rushed towards Zym and the cultist. Just as the man grabbed the little dragon by the tail, Rayla tackled him to the ground. They both went sprawling, but Rayla got up first and crossed her blades at his neck. “Move a muscle, try to say a word, and yer dead human, get it?” 

The man looked fearful. He opened his mouth to reply, but then remembered Rayla’s warning and simply nodded.

“Gud.”

Two other mages made it towards Claudia. She had her hand on Callum’s chest while her hand was clutching a strange, stone symbol. A roar sounded as the queen dragon lashed out with her claw, but the cultists quickly protected their mistress with a shield spell. It should grant them a few more precious seconds.“We’ve got to get out of here!” One of them said to her.

Claudia looked at them. “Where is the baby dragon?” 

They looked around. In the other corner of the cave they saw Rayla stradling the man, holding him in place with her blades, the little dragon prince pouncing around the two, ready to zap the man. “I’m sorry mistress. We...we have failed. It was all I could do to at least grab Callum’s belongings…” 

Claudia pressed her eyes closed as tears started to flow. _I feel like such a failure!_ This was no time for such feelings though. She noticed the queen was charging her breath weapon, and she doubted that their weakened shield could withstand such a blow. She opened the palm from her hand, holding a tiny, glistering shard of rock in it that did not belong to this planet. A gift from Aaravos. “Verba Revocandis.” 

The stone lit up with a purple light. Shimmers of magic surrounded the small group. Claudia looked up and saw Rayla looking in her direction. Their eyes crossed. They didn’t speak, but they both knew that for them, this battle was far from over. The purple light intensified, and then faded, taking the dark mages with them. 

It was now silent in the great hall. Rayla slowly stood and looked at her swords. For the first time ever they were covered in blood. At first, she couldn’t hear anything. Not the groaning of the other dragonguards, not the whimpering of her prisoner, not the roaring of the dragons. The only thing in her mind was the sound of the sickening crunch as she had landed on Callum, swords first. 

The first sound that she did hear was little Zym who was hopping around at the spot where Callum had been. “Cam, Cam!” It tore right into her heart to see the little dragon like this. He was worried about the human who had helped him and didn’t understand why he had tried to hurt him. 

She walked up to prince Azymondias. “I’m sorry little prince. He… he won’t be commin' back…” Tears ran down her face. 

Zym watched her with a frown, and started screaming harder. “Cam! Cam!” 

“This injustice will be avenged!” The king roared. “This insolence of the humans will be punished! I will exterminate them to the last!” The king looked furious. He ignored his wounds and stood up straight. The queen roared in agreement. She looked just as furious as he was. 

King Aureum Umbra roared his proclamation for all to hear as the remaining dragonguard slowly came to consciousness. “We will have war! A war of fire and fury! A war of blood and tears! We will leave nothing but ashes and dust! It will be a war of cinders! Only when the humans have perished to the last, then will we be satisfied!” 

Rayla sobbed . _It was all for nothing… Everything Callum and I have been through together… It was all for nothing…._

Zym bumped into her, trying to comfort her, but he was still calling out to the strange human mage that had disappeared. “Cam! Cam!”

**-/-/-/-**

It was completely still in the throne room. The people barely dared to take a breath as they all watched king Ezran sit upon his throne. He had his eyes closed, his brow furrowed in concentration. There had been a meeting, but in the middle of it the king had called out suddenly, demanding absolute silence. Opili had tried to placate the king, but to no avail. Either be quiet, or get out. So of course everyone obeyed.

Finally the king opened his eyes. To everyone’s shock, tears were streaming down his face. Opili was the first to speak, though it was barely a whisper. “My liege?”

“Opili… lower the standards… my brother has died.” 

Opili was not stupid. She had realised some form of magic had taken place. But a message like that shocked everyone in the room. “My lord, surely that’s not possible!?”

Ezran clenched his teeth. He wanted to cry out, to let out all the pain in his chest. He wanted to hug Opili and have her comfort him, or hide in his room, to throw the crown away and wait for all of this to pass. 

But the weight of the crown was heavy on his head and it reminded him of his duties. Soon, thousands of lives would be at risk, maybe millions. He needed to act as a king. 

“My brother has been killed. Lower the standards. Tonight we will mourn. Tomorrow, we will prepare for war.” 

**-/-/-/-**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Light

  
  
  


There was light.

  
  


As he got closer towards it, things started to fade. 

The confusion in his mind. The pain. The sorrow. It all faded away. As he got closer, he felt...peace.

He felt younger than he had been back there. What ‘back there’ was, he wasn’t sure, but he felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulder. 

Beneath him, a world appeared. It was wrapped around in waves of different colours that ebbed and flowed around the continents. It took Callum a moment before he realised he was looking at the arcanum, enveloping the world, influencing it, pushing it this way and that, shaping it’s destiny. 

Still, he was moving forwards, leaving the world behind. As he got closer to the light, figures started to appear. He felt surprise and joy as he saw a figure he hadn’t seen in a long time. The dark skinned figure stepped forward, clad in regal robes, his black hair braided in dreads. King Harrow spread out his arms, and Callum rushed forwards to embrace him. 

_It’s good to see you_ , his stepfather's voice sounded, though not in his ears or mind, but in his heart. _I’ve missed you,_ Callum replied, looking up to his face. He was worried that there would be judgement. He vaguely recalled bad things happening ‘back there’, but the man seemed only happy to see him. He released Callum from his embrace and stepped back. Another figure stepped forward, one who Callum recognized instantly. _Mom!_

Callum rushed in the arms of his mother. They shared thoughts of love, of how happy they were to be back together. Of how she was so proud of him, that he had gotten so far. But after that, she too stepped away to make way for another figure, one that Callum could barely remember. _Dad…?_ He stepped forward, the big man nothing but a vague memory for him, but still, it was a man he remembered, a man he loved. They hugged each other tightly, being reunited after so many years. 

_Come with us_.

The figures moved back, retreating into the light. Callum hesitated for a moment. He felt that there was still something that connected him to ‘back there’. But he felt such peace and happiness here, and he was finally reunited with his family again! He didn’t want to leave.

But before he could make that choice, the light suddenly faded. The figures looked sad, before fading with it. This confused Callum. Had he done something wrong? 

The light faded, and he was pulled back towards this world with it’s arcanum. He saw how the magic flowed over the lands. He found that he somehow could see how it moved the people and animals on the planet. How it connected everything together. The elves, the humans, they were all connected with the arcanum. Some were able to use it, but each and every one of them was connected by it. 

He noticed that they used the air to breath, the land to grow food and eat it, the water to drink it. The sun warmed them, and the moon guided their path through the dark, shaping their dreams. And the stars guided their destiny.

As the world grew closer and closer, some strange force pulling him towards it, a euphoric feeling enveloped Callum as he now knew.

_I understand the Star Arcanum._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy -fucking- moly. This chapter was a monstrosity of an undertaking! 16000+ words! Fuck! Alright, I’m sorry for the language, but damn, this was one hell of a chapter to write. 
> 
> Story wise: Please hold your pitchforks! Callum will return! Yes, spoilers, sure, but I bet 99% of you already figured out what I’m pulling here. Also, before anyone asks, Harrow is dead according to the cannon, so that’s why he was in the last scene.   
> Concerning the rest of the story; I had to write three different battle scenes in this one; the ascend, the fight near the entrance, and the grand finale. And it was really difficult for me to give all the important characters the right screentime. It just wouldn’t do to write the battle habhazertly and just write “oh and he died.”. But that does mean that I wrote a rather detailed account of the battle. In a television episode, this would have taken minutes to show. In words, I have to get real detailed, but that sometimes gives me the feeling I’m dragging out the story longer than I should. I’m really curious to your opinions about that! Too much detail, or was it good enough? Please let me know, I wanna learn from this!
> 
> Update wise: Well, fuck everything. Between kitchen renovations and not being able to eat at home, an increased number of infections in the school I work at and the renewed lockdown measures in the Netherlands, my life has gone to shit again. I honestly have the best wife ever, as she is tackling the majority of the renovations head on, leaving me with time to do administration work. But because of that, I had very little time to finish this.   
> This also means that I will be taking a break, and I won’t expect to return to write the next story until the end of November. I need time to get this story in order, but also need some time to get my life in order. Once that’s settled, then hopefully I can keep posting chapters regularly. It’s still my aim to finish this project, and right now, I’m halfway there!
> 
> So thanks for sticking with me throughout this story! I hope that it hit you right in the feels, and I will promise the next one will include lots of Rayllum to make up for it! Cheers!


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